Ripples By the Drop
by Meminisse
Summary: Shugo and Rena have put an end to the Second Twilight, but many secrets still remain - including those hidden within themselves. When a seemingly harmless adventure sheds light upon these shadows, will they be able to accept the truths that are revealed?
1. Tides

**Disclaimer:** I do not own .hack, nor do I own any characters of the .hack franchise that may appear in this work.

_A/N: This work takes place on December 23rd, 2014 - roughly four months after the events of the anime._

**I. Tides**

"Where the heck is she?"

As his legs hung down from the canal wall, Shugo tapped the heel of his brown leather boots against aged stone. It was a rhythmic strike, much like the footsteps that passed behind him - cadenced beats from fellow players as they went about their business. Mac Anu was always bustling, especially at this time of day. When the sun hung just above the horizon, all sorts of people would come out of the woodwork, from clueless newbies to the veterans of older times. Oftentimes (as was the case right now), the crowds would become oppressively large; one could get lost in the torrent of bodies, wandering amid the flowing masses aimlessly - like a gondola lacking an oar, adrift in the city's waterways, its destination and fate always determined by the water's flow.

Maybe that was the case here, too. It wasn't like Rena to miss one of their meetings, but real life had a habit of sending unexpected surprises their way. It certainly wouldn't be the first time they had been forced apart.

They had both known that there was trouble. It was impossible to ignore the words that had been said over the years. But, perhaps naively, they had come to the consensus that everything would work itself out. Arguments were just arguments, after all. Everyone had them. It was just a normal part of life.

But, when their mother took Rena and slammed the apartment door behind her, that 'normal life' went along with them.

Half of his family - gone overnight. It had been torture to accept it, but there was nothing he could do. It was what it was. Neither of them could change things. It wasn't their fault. Rena had told him that, too, whispering it in his ear over the sound of screams and shattering plates, holding onto him in the darkness as they looked towards the outline of light against the closed bedroom door. She was his little sister, but she always seemed to have a better grasp of it than he did. But maybe that was because he didn't want to understand it. He just wanted them all to be a family again. And if that made him immature, he didn't care. It was what it was.

Looking up to the orange-hued sky, Shugo let out a sigh, his slightly redder hat shifting over the teal locks of his messy hair. At least there was a bright side. The constant e-mails had given way to phone calls, and though, at times, the visits could be tense, his mother and Rena still stopped in at the old apartment from time to time. The breakup had been less than amiable, but they still had the chance to see each other in person.

And then, of course, there was The World.

"Shuu-_gooo!_"

Shugo's head whirled towards the sound, turning to face an arched bridge several meters down the canal. Among the passing figures stood the silhouette of a young female Heavy Blade, her arm waving in the air, the sun at her back. The glare was too strong to make out her features, but, to Shugo, she was unmistakable.

"Hey! Rena!" he called back, jumping to his feet and waving back frantically, laughing. He cupped his hands in front of his mouth, giving an echoing shout of "Stay there!" before plunging into the masses taking up the walkway. Stumbling through them clumsily, he danced and dodged around the surprised cries and angry shouts, slipping through the bodies as he made his way to the bridge's edge. His hurried footsteps pounded up the wooden planks, climbing them by leaps and bounds. Finally, he reached the crest, stopping abruptly, doubling over with his hands upon his knees, panting as Rena looked down at him with a smile.

"Sorry I'm late. I sorta got sidetracked," said Rena, leaning forward with her hands cupped behind her, peering at the face hidden by his hat. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm fine..." wheezed Shugo, still trying to catch his breath. He raised his head, and his eyes ascended from her long white boots, speeding up the rest of her outfit, coming to rest on her face. "Did Mom have you running errands a-"

Shugo's mouth dropped open as he noticed the huge, hulking figure standing just behind her. Heavy silver gauntlets hung like wrecking balls from his sinewy arms. The tips of the metal spikes lining his shoulder pads gleamed in the evening rays. The head of the giant serrated axe slung over his back was big enough to blot out the sun. He was a behemoth, towering over both of them, looking so menacing that, at first, Shugo mistook him for an ogre that had somehow made it into town.

"W-w-who are you?" exclaimed Shugo, instantly taking a step back, his hand trembling as he pointed at the massive warrior. Rena blinked in surprise, turning around and staring up at their accoster.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce you," she said, taking a step out from between the two as she motioned to the smaller. "This is my big brother, Shugo!"

Before Shugo could react, one of the behemoth's giant hands fell onto his head, making his knees buckle and nearly sending him to the floor. Wincing from the weight, he looked up with one open eye, finding a hazel pair staring back at him among rugged features. The man's face was like the exterior of some great fortress, filled with crags and crevices, strong enough to withstand any blow regardless of its age.

"So _this_ is the one I've heard so much about!" he bellowed, laughing heartily as Shugo struggled to keep his footing. Upon removing his gauntlet from the boy's crown, he found an annoyed glare aimed his way. "A fine looking young man! Fine indeed!"

"Shugo, this is-"

"Oh, there's no need for that, miss. I'm certainly capable of introducing myself," he interjected, giving a wave of his gauntlet as he stepped forward, the pieces of his heavy armor clanking against each other as they shifted upon his frame. Suddenly, he pointed towards the sky, looking to the heavens as he let out a loud declaration. "I am Lantus, treasure hunter extraordinaire, delver of the treacherous corridors of the deepest dungeons, seeker of the rarest and most valuable items, World-renowned and respected by all!"

Shugo gawked at the blowhard, eyebrow twitching as the hand aimed towards the sky swung down to point at him.

"And _you_ have the privilege of joining me on my next adventure!"

"Wh... What?" stammered Shugo, looking up dumbly at the presumptuous grin upon Lantus's face.

"Can you believe it, Shugo? We get to explore a super secret area no-one else knows about!" exclaimed Rena, holding up a clenched fist with a gleam in her eye.

"Secret area?" replied Shugo, raising his eyebrow in confusion.

"Oh, that's right. I guess I should explain. Before you logged on, I was doing some training at a special spot of mine. That was when a huge group of Skull Heroes attacked me! They came out of nowhere!" Rena switched to a fighting stance, looking around to show off the hopelessness of the situation. "I was completely surrounded... but, out of the blue, Lantus showed up, and we fought them off together! It turns out that he just discovered a brand new field, and he's looking for a group to help him clear the dungeon. And of course I said 'There's no way I'm going without my big brother Shugo'. But, I was the first person he asked, so we can all go together! Isn't that great?"

For Rena's sake, Shugo forced a smile. "Yeah... Great..."

"So we're in agreement!" declared Lantus, swinging around and pointing to the far-off Chaos Gate, his axe nearly taking the head off of a passerby as he turned. "Then let us depart! Fabulous riches are only three words away!"

"Right!" said Rena, taking a few enthusiastic steps after him, following the trail of loud laughter down the bridge. Suddenly, she stopped, looking over her shoulder in confusion. Shugo still stood in his previous spot, unmoving as he stared off towards the Chaos Gate. "Shugo? You coming?"

"Huh?" replied Shugo, blinking out of his daze. A reassuring smile popped onto his face. "Yeah. Right behind you!"

Rena smiled back before breaking into a run towards the Chaos Gate. Shugo, on the other hand, hung his head and sighed before giving chase.

Now that he thought about it, there was one thing he didn't like about Rena.

Her ability to attract 'knights in shining armor' was uncanny.

* * *

><p>Δ Desolate Silent Remnant.<p>

The field certainly lived up to its name. As the golden gate rings vanished from around his body, the first thing that Shugo noticed was the lack of anything to notice. The area was a barren marsh, devoid of all signs of life. A thick mist veiled the landscape, wrapping it in sheets of wispy grey. Aided by the moon against a pitch-black sky, he could only distinguish the stalks of the knee-high grasses surrounding him.

And that truly was all that surrounded him, for there was no-one else around.

"... Rena?" he said, looking around, the reeds brushing against the legs of his orange trousers, a muted wind chilling his neck.

He fully expected that, in a second or two, she would teleport in beside him. Even when changing areas in a party, it was very common for one person to arrive at a new location before the others. Her absence was probably the result of a server hiccup.

But after a half-minute of silence, it was clear that something was wrong.

"Rena! Where are you?" he shouted, his eyes scanning over the curtain of fog as he spun in place.

"_Shugo!_" came a distant, echoing call from behind him.

"Rena?" he exclaimed, turning back towards the direction of the distressed cry. Instantly, he was sprinting through the marsh, pushing aside the plants as he scrambled across the damp ground. Puddles of mud splashed as he tore over them, and the haze in front of him seemed to turn into a funnel, swirling past him as he bounded into unknown depths. After what seemed like dozens of yards, a faint silhouette suddenly came into view.

Unfortunately, Shugo hadn't considered that, while sprinting in zero visibility, he might not be able to stop in time for a figure only a few feet away. He crashed right into it, sending both himself and the startled Rena to the marsh floor.

"Uwaaa! Get away!" cried Rena, struggling against the weight on top of her, her hand searching desperately for an object lying at her side. Out of the corner of a shocked eye, Shugo saw the flash of moonlight off the metal of Rena's giant sword.

"W-wait! It's me!" he blurted out, terrified.

Rena's eyes blinked open, staring up into teal irises. Shugo was sitting on top of her, hands upon her shoulders and knees sunk into the ground, straddling her waist and holding her down against the soggy soil. As he closed his eyes and sighed with relief, Rena's surprised look turned to one of annoyance, and she tightened her grip upon the hilt at her side.

"Mind getting off of me?" she asked, her eyebrow twitching.

"Eh?" replied Shugo, looking down at her, dumbfounded. In a flash, his eyes went wide, and he scrambled off of her, a dash of red running across his nose. From his seat of flattened reeds, he watched as she regained her footing, gulping as her eyes turned to her dirtied outfit.

"Great. The best way to start an adventure: get tackled into mud!" said Rena, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She wiped some of the wet muck from the fuchsia side plate of her armored skirt, but a slimy chill upon the back of her head turned her queasy. She ran her other hand through her matted lilac locks, letting out an angry cry of distress as she felt the goop. "And it's in my _hair!_ Thanks a lot, Shugo!"

"Hey, it's not my fault!" said Shugo, hopping up from the brush, his pants caked in mud as well. "I couldn't see you until you were right in front of me!"

"Maybe 'The Legendary Hero' should slow down and watch where he's going?" retorted Rena drolly, still irritated.

"I thought you were in trouble! I was coming to protect you!"

"Protect me from what?"

Just at that moment, the sound of a snapping stalk emanated from behind Rena. She screamed out in terror, her tough act vanishing as she dove behind Shugo, putting him between herself and the unknown assailant. Shugo's blades were out in an instant, and he glared at the large approaching shadow, securing his feet in the murky landscape as Rena looked on from behind his shoulder.

"Easy, lad. You don't want to attack a party member."

Recognizing the familiar voice, Shugo lowered his weapons. Lantus's plated boots squished the wet muck underfoot, trudging through it as he lumbered into clear view. He looked around to survey the surroundings, raising a bushy eyebrow at the sight of the mud-soaked pair.

"It's a little late for that," muttered Rena, scooping the last mass of glop from her hair, glaring at Shugo from the corner of her eye. As he sheathed his daggers, Shugo grinned apologetically.

"Ready for action, are you?" said Lantus with a hearty laugh, slapping his gauntlet upon Shugo's shoulder and nearly sending him back to the ground. "Don't worry, my boy. There will be plenty in due time."

"Right..." Shugo agreed weakly, knees straightening as Lantus removed his hand. He looked up at Lantus questioningly. "Wait... So you were alone when you warped in, too?" Lantus nodded his head, puzzling Shugo. "That's weird. I thought we were all supposed to enter at the same place."

"We were," answered Rena, giving a shake of her head. "I don't get it, either."

"Indeed, this map contains many mysteries..." said Lantus, looking off into the mist-covered distance as he pondered over the situation. His eyes moved to a small pouch hanging from his waist. He moved one of his gauntlets down to the sack, using great dexterity to open it and carefully take a small item from within. Holding the closed hand out in front of him, he opened it to reveal a small crystal sphere. "Let us see in which direction we should head."

A small holographic projection rose from the Fairy's Orb, hovering in the air just above the item. Gathering around it, the three peered at the transparent, gridded square. It was a basic map of the area, and though the cerulean backdrop lacked much topographical detail, it still provided an accurate depiction of their own location and the dungeon entrance.

"No monsters?" said Shugo, noticing the lack of yellow dots upon the map.

"No monster portals," corrected Rena. "Fairy Orbs don't show any stray monsters on the field. I haven't seen many maps like this, though..."

"Mm. We should proceed with caution," added Lantus. He turned his head to the left, using his free hand to point towards some unknown location deep within the mist. "According to the orb, that direction should be north. We should depart for the dungeon quickly, before any other unexpected visitors head our way."

The pair nodded, a slight shiver crawling upon Rena's skin at the thought. As Lantus began the trek through the mist, she quickly took the middle position in the line, grabbing Shugo's wrist and dragging him along behind her.

"Geez, Rena, let go! I can walk on my own, y'know," said Shugo, wiggling his wrist against the death grip.

"Be quiet. I'm making sure we don't get separated," replied Rena, her eyes nervously scanning over the mist as she followed Lantus. "Besides, this place is creepy."

Shugo smiled and said nothing more. Instead, he looked to his surroundings, staring into the mist for signs of anything that it might conceal. Still, even after a few minutes of walking, he saw nothing. His attention turned back to his front, and his eyes traveled onto the smudges upon the sword slung over Rena's back.

Her entire frame was smeared with mud, actually. His wandering eyes noticed that rather quickly. For a reason not quite understood, he swallowed sharply, quickly raising his gaze, focusing on a clump of soil upon the back of the shoulder strap of her top. Without thinking, he reached out to brush it off.

And, once again, Rena screamed in terror, practically jumping into the air at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. She cowered down as she whirled towards Shugo, stopping halfway through the motion as she noticed the dirt upon his raised palm.

"You still... had some on your..." said Shugo, trailing off and smiling nervously as her eyebrow twitched. Lantus charged through the mist behind her, stopping quickly, his axe drawn and held in both hands.

"Is everyone all right?"

"Fine. My stupid brother thinks it's funny to play pranks," said Rena, shutting her eyes in aggravation.

"Uh, guys..." came Shugo's frightened voice. Opening an eye, Rena found him pointing over her shoulder. His face was locked into a terrified expression.

"Forget it, Shugo. I'm not falling for the same trick twi-"

"_That's not a trick!_" cried Shugo.

Whirling around, the two found a massive shadow - standing at least fifty feet tall - looming over them through the mist.

"Get back!" Lantus shouted, swinging his axe over his head, preparing to attack the gargantuan creature. Rena and Shugo wasted no time in obeying the order. They scrambled for their lives over the marshy landscape, only looking back after they had put a good number of feet between themselves and the monster.

And yet, strangely, the beast did not attack. There were no crashes or cries of battle. The silhouette of Lantus was not swinging its axe amidst the mist. No, instead, Lantus lowered his weapon, letting the axe's head touch the ground as he propped his hand atop the butt of the hilt.

"It seems that we've been fooled," he called, laughing somewhat nervously. "Come, come! You should see our attacker!"

Rena and Shugo looked at each other in confusion. Cautiously, they walked over to Lantus. The towering shadow became more distinct as they approached, its rough, rocky edges being revealed by the thinning mist. It was merely the face of a cliff - a sturdy rock wall covered by long, thick hanging vines. The pair let out a unified sigh of relief.

"I guess that's what they mean by 'jumping at shadows'..." joked Rena, sounding a bit nervous, her eyes scaling the cliff. It seemed to ascend straight into the night sky, its top edge giving the full moon a resting place from which to look down upon them. And yet, that breathtaking sight did not hold her attention for long, for a faint rushing sound caught her ears. She looked around in curiosity. "... Big brother... Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" replied Shugo, unsure if she was serious or trying to get back at him for his earlier 'prank'. Looking her way as she stared off into space, he raised one of the ear flaps of his hat, closing his eyes and listening intently.

"It sounds like the ocean..." murmured Rena. Her feet began to move of their own accord, carrying her towards the direction of the sound. Shugo and Lantus followed close behind her, still cautious of any dangers hidden amongst the terrain. As they made their way past a curve in the cliff wall, the ground beneath their feet gradually became littered with pebbles, and the mist ahead of them began to dissipate.

Suddenly, Rena stopped.

As he came to a halt behind her, Shugo opened his mouth to question why she had. No words came, though. He simply stood there with his mouth open, taking in the sight in front of him as the mist cleared.

They were on a small beach lined with rocks and cobblestones. It was the shore of a large, crescent-shaped bay - an inlet formed by the cragged cliffs that cut into the night sky. The ocean waves flowed gently onto the shore, lapping at their feet.

And out in the water, in the middle of the bay, a massive galleon floated amidst the waves, its sails torn and tattered, dimly lit beacons scattered amongst its deck, a thick layer of moss coating the side of its hull. The sound of creaking wood echoed through the air as it swayed.

"Whoa... That thing is huge!" exclaimed Shugo, gaping at the ancient vessel.

"I believe we've found our dungeon," said Lantus, grinning.

"That's a dungeon?" said Shugo in awe, looking back at Lantus and receiving a nod. His eyes traveled back to the ship, scanning over the bay. "... But... How are we supposed to get there?"

Lantus moved his hand to his chin, slipping into deep thought as he studied the area. His eyes moved to the cliffs surrounding the bay, gaze running over the steep rock walls. A portion close to the ocean caught his interest; the top edge of the area curved inwards over the bay, hanging out just far enough to form a ledge overlooking the ship.

"We may have to use the terrain to our advantage," said Lantus, turning and motioning for Shugo to follow. "Come. I have an idea."

Shugo nodded. Before following, he turned back to Rena, expecting to see her agree as well. Strangely, though, she hadn't moved at all; she was still standing in the exact same spot, her back towards him, looking out to sea. Puzzled, he took a few steps over to her side and peered at her face.

"Rena?"

Her frightened carmine eyes broke their lock upon the ship, widening a bit, startled. Looking quickly to her side, Rena found Shugo staring at her, a look of concern upon his face. Her gaze slowly drifted down to the ground, watching as a thin layer of water washed over the soles of her boots.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." she murmured.

"Don't worry!" said Shugo, holding up a fist in enthusiasm, making Rena raise her eyes in surprise. "I'm here, so I'll protect you, Rena!"

Rena smiled, a bit of tension leaving her body. At times, Shugo could be annoying, but he always seemed to say the right thing when it counted. She watched as he rushed up the beach towards Lantus, giving him a nod when he motioned for her to follow.

The ominous vessel received one last look before she dashed after them.


	2. A Leap of Faith

**II. A Leap of Faith**

"You want us to jump off a cliff?"

As Rena and Shugo gawked his way in disbelief, Lantus leaned back against the vined wall, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. The high-pitched, unified cry had given him a slight headache. Apparently, his comrades could not envision the true scenario, nor could they recognize the brilliance of his plan.

"If one was to put it that way, then yes, I suppose it would _seem_ dangerous."

"It _seems_ crazy," countered Rena, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't know... Maybe it's not as high as it looks?" said Shugo, looking up the cliff's face with hope. A queasy smile formed on his face when, eventually, his eyes reached the top.

"You're really thinking about doing this?" asked Rena, turning to him and receiving a blank stare. A droll expression slid onto her face. "You're not Lord Balmung, Shugo. You don't have wings."

Shugo gave her an annoyed look. The _last_ person he wanted to be compared to was Sir Chicken Feathers. He didn't get what was so great about the guy, anyway. Sure, he had a special character, but it wasn't like that was a unique trait. It certainly didn't make up for his annoying, dramatic disposition - and _especially_ not for the wannabe acts of chivalry that always seemed to happen around his sister. Meanwhile, Lantus let out a weary sigh, opening his eyes.

"At the very least, let us ascend. A vantage point will assist us in judging whether the jump is possible."

The twins looked at each other in uncertainty, but Lantus gave them no time to discuss things further. He was already testing the strength of the vines, pulling down on them from his place on the ground, ensuring that they wouldn't snap. With the strength of a golem, he hoisted himself onto the wall, securing his feet upon a ridge. As Lantus began to climb, Rena sighed, walking up to the wall and pulling upon a second vine. Shugo watched her as she did, his eyes drifting down to her armored skirt.

"H-hey, hold on!" blurted Shugo, running over to her side. He grabbed onto the vine, gripping it just above her own hands. As she looked his way, he smiled nervously. "I'll go first, to test it!"

Rena looked at him in confusion, but she didn't object, stepping aside as he prepared to climb. She watched him dig his feet into the rocks, tapping her foot as, step by step, Shugo made his way off the ground at a snail's pace. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and a mischievous smile slipped onto her face.

As he made his way upward, Shugo felt a sharp metal tip poke him in the backside. He let out a yelp, scrambling up the wall and putting a few feet between himself and the object, only looking down once he was sure to be out of its range. Standing upon the ground was Rena, sword in her hands, holding it upwards like a spike.

"R-Rena!" he cried.

"Too slow, big brother," said Rena, smiling warmly. As Shugo shut his eyes and let out a drained sigh, she grabbed onto the vine, joining her party in the ascent.

The rest of the climb went without incident. Rena thanked their luck that the vines were durable enough to support their weight (especially that of Lantus, who, had he fallen, would probably have killed them both). As she neared the top, Shugo, already kneeling upon the summit, reached out and grabbed her extended hand, helping her up over the edge. Moving a safe distance away from the cliff, they stood up and took in their surroundings.

The view seemed to stretch on for miles. The mist, proving so troublesome earlier, now floated below them, a sheet of hazy white, filling the far-reaching plains. The night sky was remarkably clear, but, strangely, there were no stars in sight; only the moon stood against the dark canvas. And, in the distance, a row of jagged mountains formed a faint horizon against the landscape. The entire scene was stunning, and as they looked on in awe, Shugo turned his head and peered over the grassy plateau, curious to see the reaction of their last party member.

Strangely, though, Lantus seemed uninterested in the view. He was standing a good distance away from the edge, facing to the side, looking off in thought with a serious expression.

"Hey, uh..." said Shugo, staring his way. "Where's the spot you told us about?"

Lantus's narrowed eyes flashed towards the voice, broken from their trance. A strange look of surprise appeared on his face, but it vanished quickly, familiar laughter taking its place.

"Ah, yes," said Lantus, chuckles subsiding. He turned in the direction of the ocean, walking down the plateau as he called over his shoulder. "Come, come! This way!"

Shugo and Rena followed his lead, their soles treading over the short grasses. As they advanced, the plateau gradually narrowed, eventually becoming more of a ridge than an expanse. After a short walk, they came upon a sharp outward curve in the edge of the cliff. It led to a small, rocky area - a tiny headland, jutting out over the water, overlooking the bay.

"This looks to be the place," said Lantus. Carefully, he made his way out to the end of the formation, kneeling down as he looked over the edge. "Hmm. A bit higher than I suspected, but certainly possible."

Shugo joined him at the edge, eager to see the view for himself. But, as he knelt down and looked out over the bay, that eagerness instantly vanished.

It was true that, technically, the jump was possible. The stern of the ship was almost directly below them, and the raised deck was more than wide enough to act as a platform for landing. There were no significant waves traveling into the bay, either; coupled with the ship's size, there was practically no chance that the decks would shift. On top of all that, the vessel floated in the most favorable alignment, forming a near perfect medial line from the tip of the bow to their place upon the ledge. If one _were_ to jump, it would be nearly impossible to avoid landing upon the ship.

Of course, all of that didn't account for the sheer 25-foot drop from the cliff to the deck.

"Speak for yourself..." said Shugo nervously, eyes widening as he stared downward. Walking over to the edge, Rena knelt down by his side, noticing her brother's fearful reaction before taking in the view. Her brow furrowed as she stared down at the ship.

"We're going to need some help to do it," said Rena, rising to her feet and taking a few steps backwards. Looking back, Shugo found her holding several scrolls in her arms. She looked through them carefully, smiling as she found her targets. All but three vanished back into her inventory, and as Shugo approached, she held out one of the parchments. "Here."

"... Green Gale?" said Shugo, taking the lime-green scroll from her hand. He examined it closely, a confused expression upon his face. "What's this for?"

"Ah, I see your plan," said Lantus, rising to his feet and walking to her side, grinning as he took the scroll offered to him. "Quite clever, young lady."

Perplexed, Shugo looked on as Rena began to walk back down the rock formation. As she did, Lantus edged to the side, standing clear of the headland's tip. After a few yards, Rena stopped, spinning around and looking towards them.

"Out of the way, Shugo. I'm going first."

"You're jumping?" exclaimed Shugo, shocked. "But you're the one that said this was crazy!"

"I changed my mind," said Rena, her sudden caprice making Shugo gawk in disbelief. "We can do this. It's not that hard."

"Not that hard? It's like jumping off a building!"

Rena simply smiled.

"That's the nice thing about The World, Shugo. Heights only hurt your hit points."

And with that, she broke into a dash, heading straight for the cliff's edge. She was almost a blur as she passed by Shugo, who watched in astoundment as she leapt from the ridge. She sailed through the salty night air, hurtling down towards the deck, one hand upon the hilt of her sword, the other holding the last scroll out towards her landing point.

"Juk Rom!"

Instantly, the scroll unfurled, the runes upon the parchment glowing bright green. It vanished a moment later, forming into a tornadic gust of wind that impacted the deck. Rena dropped right into it, the spell dramatically decreasing the speed of her descent. She landed feet first, rolling forward a short distance with the momentum. The tumble ended with one revolution, and as her dizziness faded, she found herself sitting on her bottom, knees held near her chest. Brushing her shoulder, she picked herself up off the wooden planks, not a single scratch upon her character.

And all the while, Shugo looked down from the top of the cliff, nearly convinced that he had just seen something out of a dream.

"Wow..." he murmured subconsciously, blinking down at her. A huge smile formed on his face, and his hands flew up to his mouth, cupping themselves as he called out to her. "_Rena!_ That was amazing! You should sign up for gymnastics!"

Rena looked up to the cliff, sticking her tongue out to the side, her hand in a V sign next to her cheek.

"Come on, Shugo! You can do it!" she called.

"She leads by example, I see," said Lantus, chuckling as he turned to Shugo. "Remember, lad. The incantation is Juk Rom."

"Right!" said Shugo, a good deal of his apprehension gone. He swung around, dashing down the headland, stopping at just about the same spot from which Rena had begun her jump. Then, he faced the edge, readying himself for the leap, brow furrowed and a confident grin upon his face. "All _right!_ Here I go!"

Shugo's jump went a little less smoothly.

At the start, he made no mistakes. A dashing leap from the cliff; the correct incantation; a drop feet first into the spell - everything about the technique of the jump was perfect. However, the jump itself wasn't the problem: it was the landing that outwitted him, and the fact that he had forgotten to roll.

So, rather than landing with a graceful tumble, Shugo touched down in a full-blown run, stumbling into a half-cartwheel before dropping into a barrel roll across the deck. His clumsy shouts of surprise ended as he came to a stop upon his back. Opening his eyes, he found Rena standing over him, the mast behind her extending up into the backdrop of the sky. Looking down at him with a smile, she held up seven fingers.

"Come on, Rena..." breathed Shugo, still dazed and heart racing. "That was _at least_ a ten."

Rena giggled, smiling wider as a grin formed on Shugo's face. "Silly."

"Juk Rom!" came a loud, husky shout. Suddenly, a third tornado swirled onto the deck, no more than five yards from their position. Before they could raise their arms to shield themselves from the wind, Lantus made his landing upon the boat.

Unfortunately for him, the tornado had little effect on his armor's heavy weight. He crashed right through the decrepit wood planks, his surprised yell echoing from within the depths of the ship. As they lowered their arms from their faces, the twins gawked at the large hole left in his wake.

"I guess that's an eleven..." murmured Shugo, blinking in disbelief from his seat. Still on her feet, Rena raced over to the hole, careful not to fall in herself, cautious of the weakened planks.

"Lantus!" she called, looking down into the dark chasm, tilting her head. "Are... you okay?"

Hearty laughs echoed from within the darkness. As Shugo walked up beside Rena, the two shared a strange look.

"That was quite the entrance, if I say so myself!" declared Lantus, still chuckling. "Come, come! The dungeon awaits!"

Shugo glanced over at Rena, already aware of the apprehensive expression upon her face. Turning his head, he looked back to the deck behind him. His eyes stopped upon a soft orange glow; it was emanating up through the wooden rails that divided the upper and lower decks, its source hidden from view. Scampering past a large bundle of rope, he made his way to the deck's staircase, taking a few steps downwards, peering over the rail.

Upon the inner wall hung a lantern, suspended by an iron hook, perfectly within reach. Grinning victoriously, he lifted the lamp from its peg, holding it out at arm's length as he returned to Rena.

After giving each other one last nod of assurance, the twins hopped down into the darkness.

* * *

><p>This wasn't like any dungeon that he could remember.<p>

Shugo had visited some pretty strange areas during his time in The World, but this one came close to the top of the charts. He had known that it was anomalous from the start; it wasn't exactly common for a field's dungeon to be an ancient ship. Still, the sight of the exterior hadn't prepared him for what lie within.

The room in which they had landed seemed to be some sort of cabin. Aside from the 'skylight' in the ceiling and a small porthole nestled in the back wall, there were no avenues for moonlight to enter the room, leaving it relatively dark in comparison to the deck above. Shards of timber were strewn about the intricate golden designs of the vermillion rug covering the floor. Several kinds of swords, ranging from cutlasses to scimitars, hung from the walls, supported by racks meant for safekeeping. Trapped within an oil painting hung near the room's cot, a beautiful, blonde-haired maiden stared down at Shugo, her eyes seeming to follow the light of the lantern as he raised it for a better look.

"Too bad Mirei's not here. She would have gone crazy for this place," murmured Shugo, taking in the room's treasures.

"Mirei?" said Lantus, his gaze diverting from the weapons upon the walls. Rena, standing close to Shugo's side, looked back to him as she answered.

"She's a friend of ours. A Rare Hunter."

"Ah, I see. I suppose it's fortunate to not have competition," replied Lantus, chuckling. His gaze returned to the blades, a look of admiration in his eyes. "Still, it is a shame to have to leave such fine weaponry behind."

"Huh?" said Shugo, looking over his shoulder in surprise. "But... I thought that's the reason you came here?"

"Indeed, lad, but one man can only carry so much," explained Lantus, turning and walking towards the closed door. He peered out the exit's porthole, seeing only his own reflection against the darkness. Furrowing his brow, he turned back to the twins. "The greatest riches lie in the deepest depths. We should begin our descent."

Shugo nodded, stepping forward, holding out the lantern to light the way. Rena quickly followed suit, intent on staying within the radial glow.

"From this point on, we must remain cautious," added Lantus, his hand upon the door's handle. "There is no telling what awaits us from here."

A long, echoing creak broke the silence as Lantus pulled the door open. A long hall of darkness lay beyond it, oak columns running down its middle, moonlight entering only through the square cannon ports that lined its sides. Lantus trod into the hall carefully, his heavy footsteps leading the way as Shugo followed close behind him. Even closer to Shugo was Rena, scanning the hall nervously, the fear in her eyes reflecting off the metal of the cannons as the trio passed them by. Glancing backwards, Shugo found her practically against his own shoulder.

"You okay, Rena?"

"Huh?" gasped Rena, her eyes speeding to his. She exhaled at the sight of calming teal, stiffening her shoulders and marching onwards. "I'm fine. This is nothing. Just a dingy old boat, right? Nothing to be scared of."

With the next step, her boot landed upon a particularly loose plank, causing a high-pitched squeak to shoot through the room. Instantly, Shugo's free arm was in a stranglehold, smothered by Rena as she clutched onto him for dear life. As her trembles subsided, she let her clenched eyelids blink open, blushing as she noticed the smile on Shugo's face.

"Nothing scary, huh?" teased Shugo playfully.

"N-no," lied Rena, totally unconvincing. "I'm... just cold."

Rena noticed a redness rise to Shugo's cheeks, but her gaze didn't stay upon him for long. She had just noticed something much more important - something discovered through the corner of her eye. Until this very moment, it hadn't been apparent; but, somehow, the quiet sound of waves lapping against the boat had made it quite distinct. As she looked around the room, her eyes grew wider and wider, her irises trembling at the sight.

"... Shugo...?"

"Rena...?" murmured Shugo, gazing at her in a bit of a daze.

"Where's Lantus?"

Blinking, Shugo raised his eyes to the hall. Only shadows greeted him.

They were the only ones in the compartment.

"I... don't know," murmured Shugo, staring at the empty space in surprise. Scanning the room, he spied the top of a staircase in the far left corner. The opening was enclosed by ornate wooden balusters along two sides. "There," he said, holding the lantern in its direction, looking to Rena. "He probably just went ahead of us. Let's hurry."

Rena nodded nervously, releasing her grasp upon his arm, following close behind him as he approached the stairwell. Placing his hand upon the banister, Shugo held the lantern down towards the stairs, shedding a bit of light upon the floor below.

"Hey! Lantus!" he called.

Only the sound of waves returned.

Furrowing his brow, Shugo began to descend, his boots thumping against the stairs as he slowly made his way downwards. The lantern's light reached past the rails of the staircase, revealing a smaller room than the one above. It too was lined with cannons and columns, but a small, half-circular table sat within the room's center, with several rickety chairs situated around its curved edge. His feet reaching the floor, Shugo walked over to the table, noticing the decayed, curled documents that were scattered upon its faded green surface. Lying amidst them was a deck of cards, an intricate red-and-white design upon its cover, cobwebs stretching from its edges.

Suddenly, a creak from behind made Shugo spin around. It was only Rena, but she looked terrified.

"... He's not here, is he?" she murmured, whispering against the deathly quiet. His body tense, Shugo looked around the room, peering into its dark niches, already well aware of the answer both of them knew.

"... No."

Rena lowered her head. A long pause of silence hung in the air.

"... Shugo... There's... something wrong with this place."

Shugo swallowed.

"Come on, Rena..." he said, an optimistic, yet nervous, look upon his face. "Just because it's a little creepy, that doesn't-"

"That's not it."

Shugo's lips froze, caught off guard by the quick, insistent reply. He watched as Rena raised her eyes, the distraught look upon her face sending a chill down his spine.

"Why isn't there anything here?" she continued, her voice wavering with fear. "This is a dungeon, right? Why aren't there any treasure chests? Where are all the monsters? We're already this far... and there's just _nothing._ And now Lantus is-"

Shugo's hand came to rest upon her shoulder.

"This isn't like that," he said softly, trying to allay her fears. As she stared into his eyes, he smiled, and his serious tone became a bit more lighthearted. "Hey, if he's anything like Mirei, he's already looking for the good stuff. We should get to the bottom while there's something left!"

Rena smiled, if only to convince Shugo that she had recovered. She had no doubt that he knew what was on her mind, but bringing up memories of the incident was never a good idea - least of all in a place like this. She wasn't about to make things worse by worrying him.

"Okay," she agreed, nodding. Utilizing acting skills acquired from daytime dramas, she feigned her normal, commanding tone. "But if he's not there, then we're getting out of here. I'm not playing hide-and-seek."

Shugo grinned, his hand leaving her shoulder. Without a thought, he took her hand into his, missing her blush as he turned towards the far end of the room. Following the lantern's light, the two walked over to a set of staircases - one upon each side of the room. As the right lead to the floor above, they opted for the left, cautiously making their way down the stairs.

The next hall was much longer than those of the previous floors. It was also much more narrow; several small cabins lined its left side, alternating with cannon ports, their doors shut tight. As the twins left the stairs, Shugo left Rena's side, approaching the first cabin that had come into view, peering into the porthole upon the door of the protruding structure.

"What are you doing?" asked Rena, sounding a bit irritated. "I thought we were looking for Lantus."

"It doesn't hurt to look for treasure along the way, right?" said Shugo innocently, paying little attention to the narrowed carmine eyes behind him. "He could be in one of these, too."

"Shugo, he couldn't _fit_ into one of these."

Shugo shrugged off her logic, choosing to place his hand upon the door's handle. Looking on nervously, Rena watched as he gave it a slight tug. Scraping against its wooden frame, the door creaked as it opened, and Shugo held the lantern into the compartment.

There was nothing but a cot inside.

"What a discovery," said Rena, rolling her eyes. "Now can we please get going?"

"Hold on. I want to check the other ones," replied Shugo, jogging off down the hall to the next cabin. Glaring at him, Rena followed, stopping at his shoulder as he reached for the door's handle.

"Shugo, there's _nothing_ here. Stop playing a..."

Rena trailed off as he opened the door. Sitting inside the room was a yellow treasure chest, each side marked with a cerulean diamond.

"Nothing here, huh," said Shugo, grinning as she glared off to the side. Walking inside the cabin triumphantly, he knelt down in front of the chest and opened the lid.

There was nothing inside.

Dumbfounded, Shugo stared at the empty box for a few seconds before looking up. Rena was hovering over his shoulder, smiling down at him.

But, before she could prod him about being right, a long, loud creak echoed from down the hall.

Shugo was on his feet in an instant, one hand upon his sheathed blade, peering around the corner and down the corridor. Acting just as quickly, Rena bolted to the back of the cabin, looking on from her hiding spot inside the tiny den.

"_The light!_" she whispered frantically, barely reaching Shugo's ears. "Put out the lantern! They can see it!"

"_What?_" whispered Shugo, looking back at her with a bewildered expression. "No way! If it's Lantus, he won't-"

"What if it _isn't_ Lantus?"

Shugo swallowed before peeking back around the corner. The hallway still appeared to be empty, but much of it was veiled in darkness; the lantern's light only stretched so far. It was entirely possible that there _was_ someone far down the corridor, watching them silently from the shadows. Still, despite Rena's insistence, he couldn't extinguish the lantern. There was no guarantee that it would light again when tried, and the possibility of being attacked in complete darkness was much more terrifying to him. So, instead, he decided to take the opposite course of action.

"HEY! LANTUS!" he shouted.

Several seconds went by, but there was no response.

A bead of sweat running down his neck, Shugo looked back at Rena. Her eyes were wide, and her face was pale; the blood had drained from her cheeks. He could see the trembles overtaking her body. She was absolutely terrified. It pained him to have to say it.

_We can't stay here_, he mouthed, only moving his lips, not making a sound.

Looking even more frightened than before, Rena shook her head vehemently, pressing her back against the cabin wall as Shugo approached quickly. When he grabbed her wrist, she resisted, latching onto his arm, pulling against him as he tried to leave the safety of the cabin. Suddenly, he whirled back to her, looking straight into her eyes, his face filling her view.

_I won't let anything happen to you._

Stunned, Rena felt the warmth return to her cheeks. Her lips parted to speak, but no words followed. She had been robbed of her ability to respond: her mind consumed by fear.

_This... It's fear, right?_ In her heart, she was still able to pose the question. Each violent beat that resonated through her chest was an echo of memories of fright - and yet, this was different. But it wasn't _that._ It couldn't be that.

And, as Shugo turned and led her out into the hall, she was sure. It was _definitely_ fear. It encircled her like the darkness within the hall, wrapping around her and leaving no hope of escape. It tormented her like the unknown within the shadows, always able to strike, but not yet willing. It gripped her heart like the glove upon her wrist, gradually squeezing tighter as she was dragged down the passage.

But, most of all, it relished a surprise. It loved the taste of a sudden revelation, savoring the saliva that slid down her throat when the lantern's light reached the end of the hall.

Upon the far wall was a single door.

It was halfway open.


	3. Beneath the Surface

**III. Beneath the Surface**

"Don't."

It was the only word Rena could muster. She could barely breathe. The ornate crest upon the ajar door; the void within the pitch-black room that lay beyond - they had stolen the air from her lungs. She was uncertain whether she had said anything at all.

Shugo had heard her, though. His ears had caught the terrified whisper. He knew she wanted to run.

But he also knew where they were upon the ship. He understood that a hall of this length had to reach one of its ends, and he had kept track of the staircases leading to other floors. They had passed the closest one just after leaving the cabin. All of the potential exits were already behind them.

Whatever was inside the room was cornered, and he wasn't about to give it a chance to stab them in the back.

"Stay right here," he whispered, looking over his shoulder, letting go of Rena's wrist. "I'll check it out."

As he turned his attention back to the door, he felt her hand clamp down upon his forearm. Glancing back, he found a look of horror aimed his way. Rena shook her head furiously, appalled by the thought of being left alone.

"Then get ready," he murmured. Once his arm was free, he moved his hand to the hilt of his blade, drawing the weapon in silence as he crept towards the door. Rena followed his lead, but her hands were shaking so violently that she could barely hold her sword. Just as Shugo reached the entrance, she nearly dropped the large blade, taking a panicked step forward while her hands scrambled to find the hilt. Her boot landed with a hard thump.

Shugo wasted no time waiting for an attack to come. Slamming his elbow against the door, he swung it fully open, thrusting the lantern into the darkness.

The light revealed a large cabin. It seemed to be the captain's quarters; it was greater in size than any they had seen, and lavish furniture lined its walls. A wide vermillion curtain covered the line of windows at the back, draping down upon the porcelain counter that stretched along the wall. Carved from maple, a small, circular table sat to the right, complimented by four chairs upholstered with embroidered silk. Against the left wall was an oak commode, marble knobs marking its several drawers. A small rectangular mirror hung just above it, its gilded frame reflecting the warm light. And, in the room's center, a walnut armchair sat behind a large desk littered with items, a painstakingly detailed design carved into its backboard.

But, most importantly, no-one seemed to be inside the room.

Still cautious, Shugo took a step into the cabin, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of movement. He turned his head to the right, shining the lantern into an empty corner. Then, he swiveled and looked to the left.

The stone face of a wispy-haired man stared back at him.

Shugo yelled out in surprise, stumbling backwards and pointing his dagger at the ambusher. That prompted a scream from Rena, who charged into the room holding her sword like a battering ram. She thrust the blade towards the face, impaling the man straight through the chest.

Well, _a_ chest. The crash that came with the attack certainly didn't fit a living creature. As they soon realized, the figure standing before them was a life-size bust, sculpted from marble and sitting upon the remnants of a wooden clothes chest. Rena had only given their attacker a severe case of splinters.

Dumbfounded, the two stared at the statue in silence. However, it didn't last long; Shugo soon burst into hysterical laughter, much to Rena's chagrin. Blushing red, she left her jammed sword in its place and stomped over to him, snatching his ear and pulling him towards the door.

"Ow, ow! Okay, I'm sorry!" he cried, sighing in relief when the offending hand traded his ear for the lantern. Rubbing the sore spot, he watched Rena hold the light out into the hallway. She looked over the dark corridor one last time before closing the door with a careful silence.

"Would you be _quiet?_" she whispered angrily, spinning towards him and glaring at his confused expression. "The whole map can hear you!"

"Why are you so worried? There's nobody here."

"Doors don't open themselves, Shugo."

"... Maybe it's some kind of trap door?" said Shugo with a shrug, causing Rena to give him a blank look of ridicule. Annoyed, his own temper flared. "Well what _else_ could it be? Ghosts?"

Rena froze, her lower lip quivering as she looked around the room. Letting out a sigh, Shugo sheathed his blade and walked over to the desk at the room's center. He placed his palms upon its varnished surface, leaning forward.

_Great._ _Now I'm just making things worse_, he thought, looking over the small items neatly arranged upon its top. His eyes stopped upon a tiny, rectangular box next to a jar filled with quill pens. After staring at it for several seconds, he gave in to his curiosity, flicking the lid up with his index finger.

Inside was a beautiful hairpin, a rose in bloom upon its end, the golden petals glittering under the distant light of the lantern.

"Shugo."

Shugo spun around, placing himself between Rena and the discovery, staring her way with a nervous smile. She paid no mind to his expression; she was more concerned with setting ground rules, and her steely gaze left no question that they would remain intact.

"Straight to the bottom, and back up again. If we find Lantus and he wants to look around, we're leaving him. No more treasure hunting. Got it?"

Shugo nodded, swallowing with a gulp. Rena was starting to become a bit more terrifying than the ship itself. Thankfully, her expression softened, and she walked over to him calmly, holding out the lantern, offering it up.

"Here. You can still fight with one hand."

As he took the lantern with his left hand, Shugo moved his right behind his back, watching Rena carefully as she walked over to the sword that still jutted from the clothes chest. His fingers crept over the wooden surface of the desk, frantically searching for the open box. After a few agonizing moments, they bumped against its surface, sending a flash through his eyes. Just as Rena freed her weapon, he snatched up the hairpin and slipped it into his pants pocket, finishing the action no more than a second before her eyes were back upon him.

"Okay," said Rena, turning to the door and looking over her shoulder. "Let's go. You lead."

And so, the twins resumed their voyage through the ship's bowels, walking down empty passages, descending flights of stairs, passing by an abandoned capstan and eating tables that had long since served their last meal. After descending through two more floors, they found that the staircases had been replaced by wooden ladders - a tall, flimsy one in particular, poking out from a square hole in the floor, leading to the abyss of the ship's hold.

Shugo was forced to descend first, of course.

As he made his way carefully down the ladder, his nostrils were assaulted by the acrid smell of moss. It permeated the moist air throughout the lowest level, floating amidst the void along with touches of rotting wood. As his boots left the ladder's bottom rung, he used his free hand to cover his nose, holding out the lantern and squinting into the shadowy chasm. The hold was vast, seeming to stretch on for the entire length of the ship, its ceiling nearly three times the height of the other floors. From Shugo's position, it also seemed relatively empty; only a few crates were visible, barely touched by the outer edge of the lantern's halo.

"Shugo?" came a soft call from above. Holding the lantern upwards, Shugo looked to the ceiling, spying Rena's face peering down from above.

"It's okay. I don't see anything," said Shugo. Nodding, Rena rose to her feet, placing a boot upon one of the ladder's top rungs. As her lavender stockings came into view, Shugo's eyes darted back to the shadows surrounding him. Though there was really nothing to draw his attention, he continued to stare off into space, his gaze only breaking focus once Rena had hopped down next to him.

"Shugo... I don't think he's down here," murmured Rena, her eyes wandering nervously, ears attentive of any strange sounds hidden by the ship's creaks.

"Why not?"

"We should be able to see a light," she pointed out, motioning to the lantern. Looking over her shoulder, she peered back at the wall of darkness behind her, confirming that it was the same as what lie in front. "No-one would come to a place like this without one."

"Maybe he's in another room," said Shugo, shrugging. "There's usually a treasure room at the bottom, right?"

Rena nodded, albeit reluctantly. Their shared desire to find Lantus had taken them this far, but taking one more step into this black gorge of nihility didn't seem worth it to her. Something deep within herself was urging her to forget her sentiments - to simply abandon the search, climb back up the ladder, and forget everything remotely associated with this place.

But she couldn't ignore Shugo. He seemed dead set on getting to the bottom of the mystery, and the lantern's orange light was advancing along with him. Leaving wasn't an option.

So, she followed him, scurrying after the light, fearful of leaving its protection. As they stepped over beams of the hold's framework and passed by stacks of crates, she stayed right by his side, never straying more than two feet away. They delved deep into the darkness together - and, eventually, they did come upon the door to another room.

It was unlike anything they had ever seen before.

A giant pair of arched metal doors towered over them, standing nearly as tall as the ceiling itself, emblazoned onto the sheer wooden wall of the hold's far end. The sealed gate didn't look to be part of the wall itself; the textures aligned perfectly, but, for some reason, the wood surrounding the metal almost seemed to be emanating from it. Even stranger, though, were the lines of ancient runes engraved into the dull plating of the doors. They gave the doors the resemblance of two halves of a tablet, displaying a message that surrounded the design of a central, giant eye.

"What... is this?" murmured Shugo, holding up the lantern and looking towards the top of the gate in awe. The rays of light were barely strong enough to reach the very top of the doors, allowing the first line of runes to be scarcely visible. "Those weird marks look kinda familiar."

"They're from The World's language," said Rena, looking over the lines as she took in the massive gate. "The words don't make sense, though. It's like some kind of riddle."

"A riddle?" echoed Shugo, shifting his glance back to the door. In a flash, his mind was able to see through the darkness, and the wonder upon his face turned to excitement. "I get it! That's why there aren't any monsters! This is a puzzle dungeon!"

"Those are just rumors. I don't think The World really has something like that," said Rena, looking skeptical.

"Well, Lantus said this place was new, right?" He turned to her with an eager grin. "So what's it say?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Shugo stared at her with a blank expression, completely oblivious. Furrowing her brow, she shut her eyes in frustration, exasperated by his skittish priorities.

"No treasure hunting. Lantus isn't here, so we don't need to be, either." She turned, taking a step away from the door. "Let's go. I don't want to spend another minute in this place."

"But we're right here!" protested Shugo, motioning towards the door. "All we need to do is figure it out!"

Rena looked over her shoulder. "And how do you know that this is even a treasure room?"

"We're at the bottom. What else could it be?"

For a few moments, Rena stared off into the darkness lying in front of her, seemingly resolute in her decision. But, eventually, she sighed, turning around and walking back to Shugo's side, ignoring the smile aimed her way as she read the etchings aloud.

"It says... 'Those who bear false witness, walk along the crest of death. Vengeance crashes beneath their feet, their wrists bound by fate. Desires betraying intent, the... cabal spins unchecked. Never shall they return, for...'" Rena paused, giving the runes a strange look. "And something about being born. I can't make out the last part."

"... That's a weird riddle..." said Shugo, looking up at the gate in confusion. "Doesn't it say what we're supposed to figure out?"

"Who 'they' are, I guess."

A grueling minute dragged by before Shugo turned to Rena and broke the silence.

"... Any ideas?"

"One," she replied, still staring at the doors thoughtfully. Shugo's face lit up - only to revert to disappointment when she turned to him with an annoyed look. "We should leave."

"Since when do you give up on puzzles?" said Shugo, hoping to prod her into staying.

"I give up on the ones that make you sit in dark, smelly dungeons while you think." Rena turned away from the door. "Come on."

"Hold on. Give it one more minute." Shugo looked back to the gate with optimism. "Maybe we're missing something..."

"I'm not going to give it another second. Come _on_."

Shugo didn't budge. Instead, he raised the lantern up slightly, gazing up at the first line of runes. He stared at them intently, seeming to believe that, somehow, a magical power would reveal the answer and cause Rena to stay.

Of course, that didn't happen. The riddle's solution stayed as elusive as ever, and Rena only became more irritated at the thought of being ignored. She aimed her narrowed eyes at the back of his head, her temper flaring as the seconds ticked by. Finally, she snapped, and all restraint was thrown overboard; with a swift, violent motion, she latched onto Shugo's arm, grappling with him as she tried to wrestle the lantern away.

"Rena! What are you doing? _Ow_! Stop!" he shouted, struggling against her grip.

"Give me the stupid thing! We're leaving!"

"OW! That's my foot! Would you st-"

Shugo went silent with awe - though not due to Rena's actions. The white leather boot upon his foot wasn't to blame. Her eyes weren't the cause, either; they were fixated upon his raised arm, but the arm itself wasn't their target. The lantern was long forgotten as well; it still hung safely within Shugo's grasp, but its importance had faded from their minds. It was a second light that had caught their attention, emanating from an object just above the solid grip of Rena's hand.

The golden bracelet around Shugo's wrist was shining brightly, its glow pulsating like a heartbeat.

"What's going on?" said Rena, looking at him in wonder. Her hands left his arm, allowing him to take a closer look at the accessory.

"I... don't know," murmured Shugo. Raising his gaze from the bracelet, he stared at the gate, eyes widening with alarm. There had been no changes to the metal doors - but, for some reason, in an inexplicable feeling deep within his core, he believed that the eye upon the gate was staring at him - that it had _moved_, and that its gaze was aimed towards the beacon upon his wrist.

Only a moment passed before his thoughts were answered. A deafening grind erupted from the metal plates - a noise so horrendous that the twins were forced to cover their ears. It was a cacophony of screeches, crackles, and groans, ripping the air's tranquility to shreds, so grating and torturous that it sounded as if the gate was being torn apart by the strings of discord itself. In their agony, Shugo and Rena were unable to see what was actually happening; they had fallen to their knees, hands clamped over ears and eyes clenched shut - those were the priorities. It was only after the noise had stopped that they were able to bring themselves to look at the result.

The doors had swung open outwards, leaving a clear view to what lay beyond. And it truly was clear, for the entire room glowed with a pure white light, rendering both the lantern and the bracelet trivial against the darkness. The walls, the ceiling, the floor - they all shared the strange luminescence, seemingly comprised of the very energy that they gave off. At first, nothing inside the room seemed to be tangible. But, as their eyes adjusted to the light, the twins spotted two exceptions.

In the center of the room lay a small, knee-high marble platform, and atop that sat a black treasure chest, free of any designs.

And with that sight came an overwhelming sense of dread within Rena.

_Run_, she told herself, her inability to understand _why_ only serving to terrify her further. _Just run_. _Grab him and leave_. _It's not too late_.

"Shugo... I don't think we should open that."

"You should listen to the girl, lad. After all, she is quite clever."

Startled from their daze, the twins spun around. Standing amidst the distant shadows was Lantus, staring their way with a nefarious grin, his hand grasping the hilt of the axe upon his shoulder.

"... Though not clever enough to know a trap when she sees one."

"Lantus..." whispered Shugo, confused by the sudden appearance of their missing party member. His eyes narrowed once the words had registered. "What do you mean?"

"Coincidence," said Lantus, "it is a very useful tool. It lends an explanation to many things that would otherwise be considered suspicious. For example..." He took a step forward, extending his free hand towards the twins as if to introduce them. "Who could have predicted that the winners of a simple character contest would receive the original .hacker characters as a reward?"

Rena and Shugo's eyes widened.

"And to be fortunate enough to encounter these two players..." Lantus's eyes shifted to Rena, and a sly smile crawled onto his face. "I must say, that group of monsters attacked at quite the opportune time. Wouldn't you agree, young lady?"

"... You're the one who..." murmured Rena, staring at him in disbelief.

"Correct. As I said, coincidence is merely a tool. Nothing more."

Shugo glanced over at Rena. Her clenched fists were trembling at her sides, and the anger held within carried into his own voice. "What's going on? What's he talking about?"

"He planned this whole thing. He's been using us since the beginning," said Rena, looking daggers at Lantus. "And now that this is open, we're in your way. Right?"

"Not quite."

Rena blinked in surprise, breaking her glare. Lantus, on the other hand, simply ran a gauntlet through his sparse hair and closed his eyes, unfazed.

"It is true that an item hidden beyond such a gate must be a unique treasure... _However_..." His eyes flashed open, the glint within them aimed at Shugo's wrist. Smiling, he pointed to his golden target. "An item that _opens_ such gates seems far more valuable to me."

"Like I'd ever give the bracelet to someone like you!" shouted Shugo, his hands flying to the hilts of his blades.

"But you already have, lad."

Shugo's hands froze in the midst of his draw. In and of itself, Lantus's voice was far from foreboding - but the absolute confidence held within gave him pause.

"You still haven't realized it, have you?"

"Realized what?" snapped Shugo. Grinning, Lantus raised his glove a bit higher, pointing behind him.

"_That_ is not the only gate that you have broken through."

Bewildered, Shugo gave Lantus an incredulous look. Again, the behemoth stood unfazed.

"Consider where we are. Do you truly believe that such a dated area would remain untouched?"

"So you lied about that, too..." said Rena, lowering her glare to the floor.

"Lied? You paint me as some sort of miscreant, miss. I did no such thing." Lantus placed his free hand upon his hip, staring down his nose at her as if taking offense. "I merely mentioned that this was a new discovery - and, thanks to this young man, I'm finally able to set foot in such a place."

Shugo's mouth dropped open. It couldn't be true. Yes, at Lantus's urging, he had been the one to call out the field name - but there had been no signs that the area was protected. No warnings had popped up at the Chaos Gate. The bracelet hadn't reacted at all. There was no way this place was like Naval Monte.

But the victorious smile upon Lantus's face said otherwise.

"So you understand. It is impossible for other players to enter this area. None of your allies will be coming to help you. That bracelet belongs to me."

Lantus's axe fell into both hands with a clang, its blade gleaming in the white light like a guillotine.

"Now... Will you hand it over quietly, or must I take your arm and pry it off later?"

Shugo ripped his blades from their sheaths and charged at Lantus, letting out a frenzied battle cry. His boots pounded over the wood planks, closing in - but, suddenly, he leapt into the air, swinging his arm back as he hovered over the massive warrior. "Flame Dance!" he shouted, his daggers sparking ablaze. With a trail of embers in his wake, he slashed downwards - only to see the face of the axe head speeding towards him. Relying on his massive strength, Lantus used the giant weapon to swat Shugo like a fly. The blow sent Shugo hurtling backwards, careening through the air, speeding past a shocked Rena and the open gateway. He crashed down upon his back, the momentum rolling him a few feet inside the white room, his body lying still once it came to rest.

"_Shugo!_" cried Rena, spinning around, looking at his crumpled frame in horror.

"Choosing to attack someone twice your level... Very admirable," said Lantus, resting his axe back upon his shoulder. "But also quite foolish."

Trembling, Rena turned back to Lantus, head lowered, bangs covering her eyes. Her shaking hands reached for the hilt of her sword, gripping the bronze handle tight. As she drew it from her back, Lantus looked on in amusement, his gaze centering upon the blade's wavering tip.

"What a pity. It seems the young lady is too frightened to hold her weapon." Stepping forward, he gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don't worry, miss. I have no intention of fighting someone who cannot defend herself. Our business is already done. Now, if you'll step aside-"

Rena's blade smashed into the floor, crashing down with enough force to splinter the wooden planks. Raising an eyebrow, Lantus stopped in his tracks. Rena stood there silently, hunched over with the weight of her sword, breathing heavily, still looking down. Slowly, she raised her head, meeting his startled gaze.

The fires of Hell blazed within her eyes.

"_NOBODY HURTS MY BROTHER!_" she screamed, charging towards Lantus with her blade at her side. She swung the massive weapon up over her shoulder, preparing to cleave downwards. Smiling confidently, Lantus secured his feet, blocking the attack with the handle of his axe - only to have the immense force of the blow stagger him, forcing him to step back in surprise. Unrelenting, Rena continued her assault, swinging wildly. The sparks that flashed between their weapons were trivial to her fiery glare. Still, each slash was blocked, and each swing became slower and weaker as her body tired. After the sixth hit, Rena looked up to find the axe's blade drawn back - and aimed at her neck. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Data..." came Shugo's voice from behind.

Instinct taking over, Rena dropped down to the floor and rolled to the side, leaving Lantus staring dumbly at Shugo - back on his feet in the gateway, one hand upon his forearm, his other in a fist aimed straight at the heavy axeman.

"_Drain!_"

The bracelet flashed to life. A golden beam of light shot forth from the accessory, speeding towards Lantus like a streak of lightning. Unable to dodge, Lantus blocked the beam with the face of his axe's head, standing firm against the spell. As the ray dissipated, he sneered at Shugo, his surprise vanishing along with the light.

"So... Still hiding some tricks, are you?" said Lantus, chuckling. "What a shame, lad. You missed your..."

His voice trailed off as he noticed a change in his weapon.

His once fearsome axe had been transformed into a wooden sign post - its arrow-shaped head reading 'Weapon Shop'.

"What were you saying about missing something?" said Shugo, grinning. Dumbfounded, Lantus blinked at his new armament before breaking into a rage.

"You think you can make a fool out of me, you little worm?" he roared, raising the post over his shoulder, holding it like a javelin. With the strength of a bear, he flung it straight at Shugo's forehead. Wide-eyed, Shugo crouched just in time, ducking under the spear as it sailed overhead. The wooden missile smashed into the treasure chest behind him, bursting into splinters. The force of the impact was enough to tip the chest backwards, and it landed upon its side with a thump.

But that was nothing compared to the noise that followed.

A loud rumble emanated from all around them, shaking their surroundings, knocking all three players off balance. Streams of dust fell from the rafters, vanishing into thin air against the light of the treasure room. The groans of tortured wood echoed throughout the hold, the planks beneath them seeming to shudder at the sound. From his newly acquired seat, Shugo looked down, noticing that the glow around his wrist had returned. Startled, he sprang to his feet, dashing over to Rena's side. She was still on her knees, staring past him in fear, more concerned with the treasure chest than their dazed attacker.

"Shugo... If this place is like..." Another rumble echoed through the ship, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. "What happens if we-"

"We're not sticking around to find out. Come on!" He grabbed her arm, tugging her to her feet. With Shugo leading the way, the two dashed off into the darkness, the bracelet's light cutting through the shadows.

Finally regaining his footing, Lantus moved a gauntlet from his pounding forehead, a surprised look rolling onto his face. The bracelet had become a distant beacon, retreating from his grasp. His curses were drowned out by yet another rumble, and he looked around wildly as the entire ship trembled. His eyes quickly settled on the white room - on the toppled treasure chest, its contents just waiting to be plucked. Breaking into a clumsy sprint, he thundered past the gateway, his heavy boots clanking over the platform's marble steps. Dropping to his knees, he snatched the chest up in his arms, tipping it right-side up - and as he did, the lid popped open.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed from behind the twins as they reached the ladder. Before they could look back, an explosion rocked the boat, the sounds of shattering wood booming from a fair distance away. Spinning around, Shugo found that the white light of the treasure room had vanished. All that was left was the sound of rushing water hurtling towards them through the darkness.

"GO!" he shouted, turning and pushing Rena up the ladder. She broke out of her horrified trance, ripping her feet from the first step, scrambling up the rungs with Shugo following just behind her. In seconds, she was at the top, her hands clawing against the floorboards as she stumbled onto the upper level. Spinning on her knees, she looked to the hatch, spying Shugo just as his waist cleared the boundary.

And just at that moment, a wall of water crashed beneath his feet, snapping the ladder in two.

A look of disbelief slipped onto Shugo's face as he began to fall - but suddenly, Rena's hands latched onto his forearms, bolting down like clamps. Jolted into action, he leapt from the falling piece of timber, grabbing onto Rena's arms, his stomach slamming into the side of the hatchway.

"DON'T LET GO!" screamed Rena, pulling upwards with all her might, her muscles blazing with pain. Her knees scraped against the coarse wood, the fabric upon them tearing against the grain. Flailing his legs, Shugo hauled himself up through the hatch, his waist clearing the hole. Rena dragged him the rest of the way, saving him from certain death. No more than two seconds later, a fountain of water spouted up from the hatchway, spraying both of them with a curtain of droplets.

They scrambled to their feet - but Rena's legs gave out on her, and she collapsed from exhaustion. Before she could realize what was happening, her arm was around Shugo's shoulders, and he had lifted her to her feet. And with that, she was running forward - dashing through the pitch-black halls, swaying with the floor, stumbling over random objects, trampling up flights of stairs, always pushed forward by the arm behind her. The groans of the ship seemed to follow them everywhere, its pained calls accompanied by the sound of cracking wood. Still, they pressed on, their desperation guided only by the light from Shugo's wrist - and after countless staircases, the moon came into view, shining down on them from atop a set of steps.

Clambering up onto the deck, they burst forth into the night air, assaulted by violent gusts ripping at the ship's sails. As Rena huddled down against him, Shugo raised his forearm to his brow, opening a single eye to the stinging salty winds, gritting his teeth. Squinting, he skimmed over the rolling pails and tattered cloth swirling across the deck, desperately looking for a route of escape. A violent lurch of the ship cut his efforts short; the deck tilted to the side, knocking their feet out from under them. Screaming in terror, the twins slid down the slick planks, clutching onto each other as they landed against the side rail. Before the ship pitched back, they caught a glimpse of what lay beyond the balusters.

The tranquil water of the bay had turned into a maelstrom, churning against the ship's hull, grinding at the vessel like a wood chipper.

"Try to log out!" shouted Shugo, his voice muffled by the screaming gales. Nodding quickly, Rena paused for a moment - but the fear upon her face soon returned, and she shook her head frantically.

"We're still in the dungeon! It won't let me!"

Shugo turned his head upwards, glaring at the black sky. His arm shot upwards, holding the glowing bracelet into the air. Yet, it was to no avail; when he attempted to log out, nothing happened. His gate hacking abilities refused to work. Stunned, he glanced back to Rena, the look on his face sending her into a panic.

"What do we do?" she cried, gripping onto his arm. Frantic, Shugo's eyes darted around the deck - but suddenly, they froze upon an object, flashing with hope. He was on his feet in an instant, pulling Rena along with him, scrambling over to the ship's mainmast. Just as they reached their target, the vessel swayed to the other side, slamming them into the structure. Cringing from the blow, Rena opened her eyes to find Shugo stepping onto the wooden pegs that trailed up the structure. Her jaw dropped in horror, and she yanked upon his sleeve.

"Just don't look down!" he shouted, lifting himself off the deck. He forced his body to keep moving, keeping his eyes locked upon the crow's nest as he scaled the dizzying heights. Still, he couldn't stop himself from breaking his own advice; halfway through the climb, he glanced down to check on Rena, and the terrifying drop caught his eye. Thankfully, she was right below him - and sane enough to avoid making the same mistake. The winds fiercened as they neared the top, turning the gashed sails around them into billowing white curtains. Finally, Shugo's feet scraped onto the firm platform, and he spun around to extend an arm down to Rena. The ship pitched as he pulled her onto the perch, sending her toppling into his arms, nearly flinging them both into the air.

With his back against the rail, Shugo tried to log out - but the option was still disabled. Glaring, he tried the bracelet. Again, nothing happened.

His plan had failed. They were still too close to the ship. Even the crow's nest was part of the dungeon.

"Shugo..." came Rena's voice, barely audible against the crying winds. He looked down into misty carmine. Her chin was against his chest, and her hands had clutched onto his vest, squeezing wrinkled bundles from the fabric. She already knew what was coming. She knew it was hopeless.

_We're gonna make it. Don't give up. We'll get through this._ His eyes said these things, but even he had a hard time believing them. There was just no way out. There was nowhere to go. There was no opening to escape.

And then he saw it.

It hung in front of his eyes like a mirage. In a gap between the waving sails was the outline of a cliff, its top edge slightly lower than their height, lying several meters away. The circling waters had rotated the ship, pushing the port side closer to the bay's rocky walls. Still, getting to the ledge was impossible, and in a flash, it was gone, cloaked by the white shrouds.

A pained moan echoed up from below, accompanied by a slow tilt in the cliff's direction. This time, the ship didn't lurch back.

It was about to capsize.

Shugo grabbed onto Rena's shoulders. Her head shot upwards, eyes meeting the alarm in his own.

"We have to jump!" he shouted.

Rena looked at him as if he had gone crazy. Before she could respond, he had pulled her to her feet, dragging her over to the other side of the nest. As they rounded the mast, he spun her around, forcing her to stay behind him. And then, as she looked his way, she too spotted the cliffs approaching.

"Shugo!" she cried - but he was too busy kicking at the rail to look back. One strike turned to two, and two turned to four, and the fifth finally snapped the shoddy banister, sending fragments of wood hurtling down into the abyss. It was only luck that prevented him from slipping and sliding off the edge after them. He turned to dart back to Rena's side, but his feet had to stamp up an incline to reach the mast. She was holding onto it for dear life, and soon he was as well, one arm upon the wood and the other around her waist.

"On three!" he yelled, adjusting his soles to the tilting floor. He gave a quick look to Rena, searching her eyes for agreement. All she could offer was a breathless nod. His eyes flew back to the cliffs - closer than ever.

_No more bad memories. Never again._

"One!"

His eyes. What a strange thing to think about on the edge of death. That look in his eyes. She had never seen it before. Or maybe she had never looked for it. Maybe she had pretended that it wasn't there.

"Two!"

_... Shugo..._

"THREE!"

And they were running forward, their boots pounding down the slope, their yells cutting through the ship's death wails. And then they were in the air, floating above the chaos, sailing towards the cliff's edge. And throughout it all were the grasps of fear - those warm, solid clutches that gave one last ripple of comfort before the end.

And then they hit the ground.

The crashes erupted from all around them - sounds of shattering wood and deafening slams. They didn't see them. They couldn't look. They just held onto each other as tightly as they could, clenching their eyes shut, praying to survive.

A few moments later, it was quiet.

Slowly, Rena opened her eyes. The earth was black. The sky was white. And across from her were irises of teal, gazing at her with a mix of relief and concern.

"Are you okay?" whispered Shugo.

"... I-I think so," she said, her heart still beating fervently in her chest. Her eyes drifted around their strange surroundings before returning to his face. "We're okay?"

Shugo smiled.

"Yeah. We're okay."

Oddly, her heart sped up.

Shugo's hand left the small of her back, moving to the sheathes behind him. He tilted his body away from Rena, eyes rolling upwards as his fingers searched for a hilt. Grasping it, he drew the weapon, pointing its blade at the blanket covering them. With a stab and a slash, a gap was ripped through the sail, revealing the night sky above.

The turbulence that had nearly consumed them had vanished without a trace. The field seemed oblivious to the entire ordeal. The moon peered down through the black canvas. The grasses drifted amidst a calm breeze. The water of the bay was tranquil. The waves lapped gently onto the shores below.

And the ship was simply gone.

All that remained were two survivors, standing next to a broken mast atop a cliff, the tattered fabric of a dream curling around their feet.

* * *

><p>The looks aimed their way were a bit stranger than usual.<p>

Of course, they were used to it by now. Their avatars always drew attention. It had gone on for so long that, nowadays, they rarely took notice of the eyes focused upon them. After all, one couldn't exactly walk into town with a legendary character and remain unnoticed.

This time, though, things were a bit different. Legendary was _far_ from the right word to describe them.

Mud stains blotched their clothing. Specks of dirt and grass covered their knees and elbows. Disheveled locks of hair lay matted across their scalps. Rena's tights were torn open at the knees, and Shugo's baggy outfit had its fair share of rips and tears. All in all, the twins looked as if they had walked straight out of a war zone.

But, at the moment, they didn't care much about the gawking passersby - or even about their own appearance. Inside The World, hours had a habit of flying by, and their latest adventure had done a great job of draining them completely. They were exhausted. Even speaking to each other required too much effort.

And so, they dragged their weary bodies down the main road of Mac Anu in silence, following the trail of lit streetlights to the town's main bridge. When the sun set upon Japan, the virtual city also transitioned into night, its Venetian-styled buildings taking on a deep navy hue. It almost seemed like a different place under moonlight - the bustling crowds gave way to a few wandering travelers; the noise of hectic commotion vanished into serene quiet; the alleys strewn with lanterns mimicked the stars dotting the sky. It was a beautiful sight - like the vision of a storybook come to life. In truth, this was their favorite place in all of The World, and they had spent many nights simply sitting here, admiring the view, talking well into the wee hours of the morning.

That wasn't the case tonight, though. Sleep would be taking precedence. A bevy of questions still floated in their minds, but they could figure out everything later.

When they reached the crest of the bridge, Rena turned to Shugo, giving him a small smile, shoulders dipping.

"I should get going, I guess. Mom'll have a fit if she catches me on here this late again."

"Oh. Yeah," said Shugo, a hint of disappointment within his voice. "You'll be on tomorrow though?"

"Same time," she said with a nod. Her lips curved upwards slightly. "You can pick the next place. Just... no water fields."

"I think I'll look for a sponge dungeon."

Rena giggled, and he smiled. That was a relief. She had been acting a bit strange on their way back - avoiding his eyes; staring at her own feet; peering at him with sidelong glances when she _thought_ he was unaware. It reminded him of those days - the week after she had awoken from her coma. She had acted the same way during the hospital visits. Just like then, he had been worried that the experience might have had a lasting effect upon her; but, thankfully, everything seemed to be okay. She was still herself.

An awkward silence passed between the two. They shifted in place, not yet willing to leave, but not quite sure what to say. Shugo couldn't shake the notion that this was like the end of a date - possibly the worst one in history, but still, it felt like one. The strangeness of the idea made him shove his hands into his pants pockets - but, before he could give a quick goodbye, an object bumped against his fingers, catching his attention.

"Oh, hey! I almost forgot about this!" he exclaimed, pulling the small item from his pocket. Blinking in surprise, Rena watched in curiosity as he scanned his cupped hands, her eyes widening when he finally held them out. Amazingly, the hairpin was undamaged; it still shone with all of its pristine beauty, giving off vivid sparkles in the moonlight.

"Where did you get that...?" she murmured, her eyes twinkling with wonder.

"Treasure hunting." He grinned at the sight of Rena's raised eyebrow. "It'll look better on you than me, so..."

Into Rena's mind popped the image of her brother as a flower child - complete with the hairpin, beads, and a tasseled version of his outfit. The thought made her laugh out loud, and Shugo sent her a strange look. Taking her hand from her lips, she gave a dismissive wave, smiling.

"It's nothing. I, uh... don't know if I want a souvenir from that."

"Huh? But it'll look nice." He took a step forward, raising the pin above her ear. "Here. Just stand still."

Before she could protest, Shugo's fingers were gently running through strands of lilac, straightening out her messy locks. Cupping her hands in front of her, Rena dipped her head in embarrassment, cheeks burning deep red.

_Big Brother... You're not supposed to be doing things like this. Don't you know how it feels?_

His fingers brushed against her ear, sending a chill down her spine. She huddled her shoulders inward.

_... Don't you know what you're doing to me?_

"There," said Shugo, taking a step back and smiling. "See? I told you. It even matches your outfit."

Lifting her chin, Rena raised a hand up above her ear, her fingertips touching the accessory's golden petals. The blush that had been fading quickly returned. Her eyes wandered down to her feet, and a simper appeared on her face.

"Sure, it's a nice touch against the dirt and mud," she joked weakly. Shugo just kept smiling.

"All that and still pretty. I don't know how you do it, Rena."

Rena's head snapped upwards, her eyes wide with awe. He didn't notice, though. He had already turned to the side, resting his arms upon the bridge's rail, his eyes drifting up to the starlit sky spread out before them. It was what came naturally, just as they had always done - but this time, as Shugo stared at the moon, Rena was staring at Shugo.

"I guess the rabbit was looking out for us today, huh?" Chuckling to himself, he turned to Rena. "Hey, do you remem-"

Rena's lips cut him off.

It was a light, ephemeral kiss. It couldn't have lasted more than three seconds. There was no fervor in the action - none of the pent-up frustration she had held inside for years. Her urges didn't overcome her. Her lips barely brushed against his. It was just a quick little kiss.

But there was passion behind it. Hiding that was impossible. It was in her lips as they parted from Shugo, in her eyes as she gazed into his, in the breath that warmed his cheek, in every nuance of the body standing next to him.

The kiss was anything but innocent, and Shugo knew it.

"... R-Rena... What..." he murmured, eyes still wide with shock. The hope in her eyes turned to horror.

"I-I have to go!" she cried, spinning away from him.

"Wh-Wait a minute! Rena!" he called - but she was already dashing down the bridge, boots pounding over the wooden planks, another world collapsing around her. She didn't look back. She couldn't let him see the tears in her eyes. Running was the only option - just to run while she scrambled to find the logout option. As she turned a corner, The World vanished, replaced by a familiar field of red flowers.

Rena stared at the icons lining her desktop image. After a while, her hands left the keyboard. She lifted the gaming visor from her head, setting it upon her desk gently. Her palms found the desk's edge, and she rose from her chair, her nails scraping against the wood. She switched off her desk lamp before sliding into bed.

Then she cried herself to sleep.


	4. Brigit

**IV. Brigit**

"Oh my god, Brigit! I haven't seen you in like, forever!"

The silver-haired blademaster forced a smile. Why did she have to run into an acquaintance _today_, of all days? And why did it have to be someone so annoying? It could have been MAHO, or any other of her old friends, but _nooo_. Instead, she was stuck with this pest - some scantily clad twin blade whom she barely recognized. Even the girl's name eluded her.

"Yeah, it's... been a while." Her right hand traveled to her own forearm, rubbing at the black wave tattoo that snaked down her left side. "How have you been?"

"How have I been? How have _you _been! You haven't logged on in, like, ages!" the pest raved, bouncing with excitement, the blonde ponytails above each ear bobbing up and down. "What happened? You just disappeared out of nowhere! I thought you quit!"

"Oh, no. I've just been a little busy."

"Like, with tennis practice, and stuff?"

Brigit blinked in surprise. The pest actually remembered something like that? Now she felt a little guilty for drawing a blank.

"... Yeah, and schoolwork. I haven't had a lot of time recently, so I took a little break."

"Oh, yeah... That's like, important," the pest answered, gazing up at her with round green eyes, seemingly amazed by her own revelation. Her clueless expression soon vanished, a wide grin taking its place. "But hey, I'm, like, glad you're back! You wanna do a dungeon?"

_... Crap. Not that. Quick, make something up. 'I already have a - No, that's no good, she'll just ask to join. Uh..._

"... Um, I'm a little out of practice. I'll probably just get in your way," said Brigit, smiling nervously.

"Oh, don't be silly! You were, like, ten times better than me when you left! It'll come back just like that!" she replied, snapping her fingers two inches away from her victim's nose. Brigit's eyebrow twitched of its own accord.

Now she remembered who this was. A few days after joining The World, she had hopped into a random party - led by none other than this pest. Despite her inexperience, she had done fairly well for herself, surviving against monsters that no newbie had any business being around. The pest, on the other hand, had done nothing but hide behind her comrades, snatching up the contents of treasure chests while everyone else fought for their lives.

Irritated, Brigit had left the party early - but, unbeknownst to her, the pest had already acquired her Member Address. What followed was a hard lesson about changing that option from 'Invitation Only'; at every single login, the pest would send her a message: requesting help with this or that; asking to join her party; even going so far as to beg for equipment. And then there were the times when they ran into each other in town - where she couldn't simply ignore her. It had taken every ounce of control in her body to avoid telling her off.

"Uh, are you, like, still there?"

Brigit snapped out of her thoughts, the sour look on her face quickly replaced by a smile. Of course, on the inside, she was wishing that the pest was like Rumpelstiltskin - if it meant keeping her sanity, she'd gladly guess the girl's name.

"Sorry. I think it's better if I take it solo today." She fought the urge to bite her tongue. "... Maybe some other time?"

"Oh, come on!" the pest cried, her shrill voice grating on Brigit's nerves. "It's your first day back! You should go with a party!"

"I really don't feel like it. Maybe you can invite-"

"Oh, yeah! Good idea!" Her concession brought back Brigit's smile - but only for a moment. "It's no problem if we have a _full_ party! I know some, like, really strong people! They can do all the high level dungeons! So don't worry, you can, like, ease back into it and stuff! Just make sure you don't take the good items because they'll, like, get really mad if-"

"Would you just _lay off_ already?"

The pest jerked backwards, shocked by the sudden outburst. Huffing to herself, she returned the glare aimed her way.

"Like, what's your problem? I'm just trying to help! Is this what I get for being nice? I don't, like, have to invite you, you know!"

Sighing, Brigit looked into her inventory.

_Health Drinks, Restoratives, Well Water... Good, I have one._

A small scroll - parchment white and bar purple - appeared in Brigit's hand. As the pest tilted her head in confusion, Brigit held the item high into the air.

"Speed Charm."

And with that, she was gone, sprinting towards Fort Ouph's center at a superhuman rate, her long silver ponytail trailing in waves behind her. The city's earthy tones of saffron and sepia became a blur to her eyes. She dashed from one aerial island to another, following the narrow walkways that stretched between the bowl-shaped masses. Tall turrets of stone rose from the center of each platform, their tips reaching out to the cirrocumulus clouds lit orange by the setting sun. Adorned by leafy branches, several open storefronts dotted the perimeter of each turret, their stockrooms lying within the limestone.

Stopping to shop was out of the question, though. Her earlier attempt had left her unaware of her surroundings, granting the pest a perfect opportunity to strike.

_Faster._

She swept down a descending bridge like a gale, her legs picking up speed, a flash of the sun reflecting off her pearly armor. Her stylish leather boots sliced through the trails of mist that passed over the cobblestone, dispersing the hold of the clouds floating below. The chill of the air invigorated her body, leaving goosebumps along the bare skin of her left arm and leg. She needed this. It was good to get away from it all.

As she rounded a particularly large turret, the Chaos Gate came into view. Her dash slowed to a brisk walk, and she brushed the bangs from her eyes. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed that she wasn't being followed. Relieved, she hurried onto the central island, stepping before the rotating portal.

Brigit thumbed through the keyword list, scanning the scrolling words with apathy. Any field would do, but the computer-generated selections were usually populated or boring, and she disliked the idea of being told where to travel. Still, none of the keywords looked very appealing - that is, until a certain combination caught her eye.

She smirked. That _had_ to be a sign.

"Greedy - Obnoxious - Messenger!"

* * *

><p>A Wood field. This was perfect.<p>

Brigit scanned over the forest that surrounded her, peering into the sea of verdure. She stood among the grasses of a tiny clearing, bathed in a shaft of sunlight peeking through the foliage above. The sweet chirps of unseen birds sounded from the branches of ancient trees, riding to her ears on a comforting breeze. The gentle splashes of a nearby stream washed away the troubles ingrained in her mind. Looking up, she gazed at the forest's canopy, taking in the innumerable leaves that speckled the pristine skies.

_It looks like a sponge painting._

She paused. Slowly, her eyes drifted back to the ground, stopping upon the twigs that littered the forest floor. She stared at them for a moment before raising her head. Using a knuckle, she adjusted the helmet covering her forehead, lifting it from her brow slightly. The sunlight left the eight-pronged star - four small and four large - that decorated her headpiece.

Kill some monsters. Relieve some stress. That's why she was here.

She trekked through the dense wilderness, pushing aside low-hanging branches, stepping over twisted masses of roots, weaving her way through the army of thick trunks. As she delved into the forest's depths, the canopy grew much thicker, leaving only pinholes of light into the shadowy maze. Still, she hiked onwards, wading through the thick underbrush. After pushing through countless ferns and shrubs, she noticed a yellow light through the thinning trees. Up ahead was a monster portal, its rings rotating in the midst of a large glade.

Brigit reached back behind her right shoulder, grasping for the hilt of her blade. Her hand only found air. Surprised, she stopped in her tracks.

"Right..." she said, looking down with a smile. Switching hands, she reached to the handle at her right hip, drawing the elusive sword from its leather holder. It was a thin, double-edged weapon, its blade equal to her legs in length. Holding it at the ready, she took a step into the glade.

The portal opened at the drop of her foot, leaving a nightmarish creature in its wake. Eight pointed legs pierced the soft ground like daggers. A wavy mass of vines rose from a split in its back, casting twisting shadows upon its body of rotting bark. Its mandibles clicked together, seeming to imitate a laugh as it stared at Brigit with hollow eyes. The monster dwarfed its challenger, weighing in at three times her size - and suddenly, her confidence shrank to the size of a fly.

What was she thinking? She couldn't beat a Spider Ent with this character! The thing was designed for players twenty levels above her, and it even gave _them_ problems! Why had she come to Sigma Server?

The creature gave her no time to think it over. One of its vines whipped towards her - but she leapt to the side at the last moment, dodging the speeding appendage. Another flew past her shoulder, missing her other side by a few feet. A quick look back revealed that they had wrapped around the tree trunks. Alarmed, Brigit swung around to find the menace hurtling towards her through the air. She tumbled under the vines, dodging the creature as it smashed into the trees. Yet, the thundering crash did not faze it; it sprung from the cracked wood effortlessly, landing a few feet from Brigit as she found her feet. She raised her right arm just in time; the monster's front leg slashed into the small shield strapped to the limb, gashing its star design and sending her stumbling backwards. She turned to run for the cover of the trees, but a vine wrapped around her left ankle, pulling her legs out from under her. She landed upon her stomach with a thud, losing her sword in the impact. Panicking, she rolled over and struggled to reach it, eyes widening as the monster charged her way.

Out of nowhere, a blur of silver and purple shot into the clearing, slamming its pawlike boot into the creature's jaw. The blow sent it reeling, but it quickly found its balance - and just as it had, a fist slammed into the side of its jaw, splitting one of its sharp mandibles in two. It hissed in pain, scuttling backwards as it raised a leg to attack. It swiped at its attacker's confident grin, but the young woman dodged with ease, snatching the sharp limb up in her arms. She snapped it like a twig, sending the creature into a writhing frenzy. It lunged for her throat - only to have its face smashed in with its own broken leg. As the woman tossed the limb to the side, the monster crashed to the ground, its body fading into nothingness.

Brigit watched the entire scene in shock. A purple tunic. A fluffy white shawl. Silver hair. Wolf ears. There was no mistaking who this was.

_Why_ did she have to run into _Ouka_ too?

"You should be more careful. An area like this is dangerous for mid-levels." Ouka turned to Brigit, staring at the fallen knight with brilliant blue eyes. "Did you come here for a reason?"

Brigit quickly found her feet. Without a word, she turned away from Ouka, snatching her sword from the ground and heading for the trees.

"Hold it."

At first, Brigit didn't stop - but when Ouka landed in her path, she had no choice. Rising from one knee, Ouka stood from the leap, a tinge of irritation within her sharpened gaze.

"Where I come from, it's considered rude to just run off after someone does you a favor." Her glare softened when she noticed the panic in Brigit's eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Brigit said nothing.

"What's your story? Are you a foreigner?" Ouka scratched her head, confused by the nervous stare aimed her way. "Konnichiwa? Kumusta ka? Ni hao?"

Seeming oblivious to the words, Brigit began to walk past Ouka's shoulder. As she passed, Ouka grabbed her wrist, holding on with a gentle grip.

"Hold on. If you go off alone, you're going to get-"

With a violent twist, Brigit ripped her arm away, giving Ouka a dirty scowl. Taken aback, Ouka clenched her fist, narrowing her eyes at the ungrateful mute.

"So you want a fight? Maybe I'll give you a few lessons!"

Brigit's eyes widened as Ouka reared back a punch. Panicking, she dropped her sword and threw her hands into the air, waving them defensively.

"Ouka! _Wait!_"

Ouka froze, still standing in a fighting stance. A look of wonder crossed her face. Slowly, her fist dropped to her side, and she raised a confused eyebrow.

That voice sounded awfully familiar.

"... Rena?"

* * *

><p>"So... You did some kind of event dungeon with Shugo, ended up kissing him, and now you're hiding on your first character because you're afraid to see him. Am I getting this right?"<p>

Brigit nodded sadly. Her gaze never left her feet. It had been embarrassing enough to tell the entire story out loud; seeing Ouka's reaction would be unbearable. She could only imagine the smirks crossing the werewolf's face as she recounted the details. Of all the people that could sit here with her on this mass of rock and listen to her troubles, why did it have to be the flirt that was obsessed with seducing her brother?

And now, in a way, _she_ was trying to seduce him. The thought scared the hell out of her.

"Well, to start..." said Ouka, closing her eyes in thought. "Hiding isn't going to get you anywhere."

Brigit lifted her chin, resting it upon closed fingers. She gave the trees an empty stare. "I don't know what else to do."

"... You could pass it off as an accident." Ouka glanced down at Brigit's questioning look, a sly smile forming upon her face. "Maybe you were aiming for his cheek. He turned and you missed. That would work."

"I can't do that."

Ouka looked at her in confusion. Brigit's eyes moved back to the clearing, sinking like weights.

"... I made sure he knew."

Ouka blinked in surprise. Turning her head, she stared off into the distance. "... So you're serious about this, then."

Silence agreed in Brigit's place. The edge of Ouka's lip curled upwards.

"It took you long enough."

Brigit's head snapped up. Her eyes widened at the warm smile upon Ouka's face. "Y-you knew?"

"That's a surprise?" said Ouka, blinking.

"It's impossible! I never told anyone!"

"It seemed pretty obvious to me." Ouka shrugged.

Brigit stared at her in disbelief, jaw ajar. Obvious? It seemed _obvious?_ How could being in love with her own brother be obvious? How? How could it when she hadn't been sure herself?

A revelation hit her like a brick. She gulped.

"Does... anyone else know?"

"I don't think you need to worry about that." Ouka paused, glancing up in thought. "... Well, Mirei might. She said a few things after the hot springs." Turning her eyes back to Brigit, she found her burying her face in her hands.

"I'm going to die..." moaned Brigit, her voice muffled by her palms. Ouka smiled in sympathy.

"We're your friends, Rena. We're not going to go around telling people. If Mirei does know, I'll make sure she keeps it a secret."

"... After the hot springs," murmured Brigit, raising her head. She turned to Ouka, giving her a blank look. "We never went to any hot springs."

Ouka closed her eyes, dipping her head with a smile. "Right. It makes sense that Shugo wouldn't mention that."

Brigit's eyebrow nearly twitched itself off her face.

"... You took my brother to the hot springs?"

Ouka bit her tongue. What a time to let that slip. She smiled nervously, shifting under Brigit's burning gaze. Despite her massive level advantage, she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated.

"What did you _do_ with my brother at the _hot springs?_" growled Brigit, voice lowering as her temper rose.

"Hold on. Let me explain," she replied calmly, holding her palms up in surrender. "It's more like what _you_ did with him."

Still glaring, Brigit raised her eyebrow slightly, confused and skeptical - but she complied.

"This was a bit after what happened at Murderhouse." Immediately, Brigit's eyes narrowed, convincing Ouka to clarify. "We went looking for you right afterwards. We searched everywhere. The mansion, around town, even in some of the other fields." Ouka paused, smiling. "Shugo never stopped looking for you. He kept going even after everyone was exhausted."

A tinge of pink appeared on Brigit's cheeks, and she lowered her eyes.

"And," Ouka continued, "after a while, he got a mail with an area name inside. At the time, we thought that the entire thing was an event, so we went there to look for you. That's where we found the hot springs." Brigit's glare returned in an instant, and Ouka raised a palm to explain. "Nothing happened. Shugo's too shy for that. He wouldn't sit anywhere near us." A smirk slipped onto Ouka's face. "But then... you showed up."

"What are you talking about? I was ... in that place the whole time."

"It wasn't the real you. They were using your character model as part of a trap," replied Ouka. "Shugo was quick to figure that out - but, before he did, 'you' hugged him."

"... So?" said Brigit, somewhat confused. "Some fake me hugged Shugo after you guys left. Why is that important?"

"I never said we left."

Brigit blinked. It took her a moment to understand Ouka's smirk.

"... _In_ the hot springs?" she said, almost laughing the notion off. The smirk stayed. "You don't mean that... he..."

"He seemed really happy to see you, too."

Brigit's face flared scarlet. She turned away immediately, her eyes shooting down to the stone beneath her feet. Ouka simply looked back to the clearing, smiling.

"So, if you're worried about telling him... I wouldn't be."

_He can't be like that. Maybe she's just making this up to screw with me._

"... He didn't seem that way when I kissed him," said Brigit, digging her nails into her palms.

"You really think Shugo doesn't love you?"

Brigit raised her head in surprise. Ouka's voice was filled with conviction, and her eyes were locked upon Brigit in a glare. She almost seemed offended by Rena's doubts.

"Don't you think there's a reason he chases off any guy that comes within ten feet of you?"

"He's just protective. He's always been like that."

"There's a fine line between being protective and being jealous." Ouka gave her a saucy grin. "Shouldn't you know about that?"

Brigit glared at her, but that glare soon vanished. It didn't make sense. She and Ouka had never really been close; if anything, Ouka was one of Shugo's friends, and they had just happened to have met through him. Why was she helping her?

"... You're not serious about my brother, are you?"

The question was a bit offensive, but Ouka shrugged it off. She turned back to the clearing, closing her eyes with a smile.

"It's fun to toy with him, but he's not really my type." A smirk crossed her lips as she looked to Brigit. "Wolves don't play with their food."

A lame smile appeared on Brigit's face. "That's... one way to put it."

Ouka gave a small laugh of acknowledgement. Her eyes drifted back to the clearing, gazing out into the trees. Brigit did the same. Soon, it was quiet, and only the chirps of birds could be heard.

"Mm, well..." said Ouka, standing from her seat. She lifted her arms above her head, stretching her back and shoulders. "I think I'll quit for today. Looks like Omega Server being down wasn't such a bad thing."

"Omega's down?" repeated Brigit, curious.

"Since last night, apparently. The BBS says it's 'under indefinite maintenance'." Ouka leapt lightly from the rock, landing gracefully in the clearing. She transitioned into a casual stroll, her back towards Brigit, holding up a hand in farewell. "I'm glad I ran into you, Rena. Boredom's a killer."

"Ouka."

Ouka paused, glancing over her shoulder in curiosity. Brigit seemed reluctant to continue.

"Do you... think this is wrong?"

Ouka smiled.

"I don't know if I'm the best pick for a moral compass... _but_," she began, looking off into the trees. "I think love just happens. It's not something you can control, and it's not convenient, either. You fall for whoever you fall for. It's up to you to decide whether it's right or wrong."

As Brigit looked on in wonder, Ouka raised her head to the sky, blue staring into blue.

"... But the worst thing you can do is ignore it. It never goes away, no matter how much you might pretend that it isn't there."

The feeling of Brigit's eyes caught Ouka's attention. Blinking from her daze, she looked Brigit's way, giving a small smile to the stare of awe. She raised a palm. Eight words and three rings later, she was gone.

"Take care then. I hope things work out."

* * *

><p>Back to Mac Anu. It was strange how she always seemed to gravitate towards here.<p>

The setting sun cast an orange glint upon Brigit's armor as she walked through the city's streets. She had no real destination. At the moment, wandering around aimlessly truly seemed like the best course of action. She had to keep her feet moving. She wanted to give herself some illusion of progress - to assure herself that the time spent unraveling her thoughts and emotions wasn't in vain.

Her eyes traced a line along the apricot-colored cobblestone that paved the back streets. At this time of the day, even these remote alleys could become crowded; a good number of plated legs and elegant skirts had already crossed her view. It was nothing compared to the traffic of the main thoroughfares, though. Dealing with the surging crowds that gathered around the canals and bridges was out of the question. That would only worsen her mood.

As she came upon another intersection, a small gathering of players caught her attention. They appeared to be the members of a party: there were five in all, joking and laughing at the street corner, standing around what seemed to be a novelty item shop. It looked no different than any of the other storefronts situated throughout the city, but the attire of its customers was the defining clue. A male twin blade wielding dual bananas; an armor-clad heavy axeman donning a top hat; a tiny wavemaster girl holding a candy cane taller than her own height - each of them looked ridiculous. It was the last two, however, that kept Brigit's gaze.

Off to the side were a young boy and girl - a long arm and a heavy blade, standing shoulder to shoulder, obviously closer than most. She could see it in every little gesture. It was in the brunette's teasing smile as she poked at the parrot on his shoulder, in the whispers he made into the bear ears atop her head, in the giggles that met the pearly skin of her wrist. Lovebirds, obviously.

Still lost in thought, Brigit was unaware that she had slowed to a stop - or that her look had turned to one of contempt.

_Why do_ you _get to be happy?_

The girl quickly took notice of her, surprised by the hostile stare. Soon, three eyes and an eyepatch were glaring her way. Brigit averted her gaze, hurrying past them as she turned the corner. She followed the narrow street at a brisk pace, reaching the next junction straightaway - and finding that the only road forward led straight to the main canal's walkway. It was nothing more than a shortcut to aggravation.

Sighing, she dipped her head, trudging out into the bustling stretch. She shuffled along with the crowds, passing docks and bridges, barely lifting the leather boots that skimmed the pavement. Her thoughts wandered as she drifted along the stream of adventurers.

Maybe logging out was the best option. Walking around in circles wasn't getting her anywhere. She had come online for the sole purpose of clearing her mind, but The World had been nothing but a constant reminder. Ouka _had_ helped her slightly, but it seemed smarter to quit while she was ahead. She didn't need to run into someone else.

And ironically, just at that moment, someone ran into _her_, slamming against the side of her arm and nearly knocking her off balance. Still a bit disoriented, Brigit spun to the side, more than ready to give the clumsy dolt a hefty piece of her mind.

Her eyes shot wide with shock as she looked down.

Hunched over before her was Shugo, a hand upon his forehead, rubbing the spot of impact. His eyes shifted up to hers, and he quickly straightened his posture, face filled with embarrassment.

"S-sorry. I, uh... It was an accident." He straightened his hat nervously, thrown off-guard by his victim's beauty. Glancing back up, he found the girl gaping at him. She looked as if she had seen a ghost. "... Are you okay?"

Brigit swallowed the words in her throat, saving herself at the last moment. She gave a quick, insistent nod, her jaw still hanging ajar. Shugo offered up an apologetic smile.

"Seeya!" he said, giving a quick raise of his hand before dashing off towards the Chaos Gate. Talk about awkward. That bridge definitely had some kind of charm hanging over it. He seemed to crash into a siren every time he rushed over the planks.

_At least Rena didn't see it this time._

His face turned somber, and his pace slowed to a hurried walk.

There was no way to tell her about the flash mail. His phone calls went unanswered. Using e-mail was too risky to consider, and trying to contact her inside the game would just be stupid. After what they had been through, he knew how dangerous a misstep could be.

She wasn't online, thankfully. That was the luck of the circumstance. As long as she stayed away from The World, she would be safe.

That was what he hoped.

lllll

_From:  
>Received at: 4:33<em>

_Δ Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground. 20:00.  
>Come alone. Tell no-one.<br>Refuse, and the one most precious to you  
>Will die before your eyes.<em>


	5. Anima & Persona

**V. Anima & Persona**

The apartment door swung shut with a slam.

His fist followed suit. One, two, three - each of the blows flung his disgust into the wood. His knuckles stuck upon the third, lodged against the grain by tense muscles. His breath came in puffs, heated with anger. Slowly, he raised his head, looking out from under a pinwheel's edge of brown bangs, staring into the door's panels from behind black sunglasses.

It had been a trial to keep it in. The conference room table, the steering wheel of his Nexus, the faces of his business associates - he had wanted to unload those punches into each of them. Those little worms... Did they think that this was funny? They intended to do it from the beginning; he was sure of it now. There was no reason to draw out the merger talks for three months. It was simply a publicity stunt - something to spur a jump in stock prices - and he was the frontman. No-one had sent a whisper to him about the truth. He had spent countless nights working out the details of this deal - and for what? To be used as a patsy by the executive board? Did they really think that they could get away with this?

That they could cross _Shigeru Fukuda?_

The young man turned away from the entrance, stamping across the floor of the posh flat with narrowed eyes. He took the first door that came into view, marching into his bedroom. His bed was not even afforded a glance; he tossed his briefcase to the side, onto it, without a thought. His frustration carried him into the adjoining room - his home office, which was furnished with a small desk, a leather chair, and short bookcases. He tugged at the knot of his tie several times, finally unraveling the red band of fabric as he flopped down into his chair. It hung limp around his neck, drifting slightly as he spun towards the black-cased laptop atop the desk.

His elbows met the varnished surface, and interlaced fingers met the underside of his nose. His eyes focused in on the brightly-lit monitor screen, on the image of a shadowy underground cave, on the numbers in the lower right corner.

_6:14 PM. 12/20/2014._

"Tch..."

All that time wasted. At this rate, he would never get to the top. What was the point?

A sigh escaped his lips, accenting the silence. His eyes drifted down to the handle of a large desk drawer. Using his business shoes, he rolled the chair a short distance backwards, reaching down towards the silver arch. He gave it a slight tug, sliding the drawer open. His hands delved into its depths, retrieving a FMD (or Face-Mounted Display) from within.

Setting it atop his desk, he moved a hand up to his sunglasses, slipping them off his face. One of the earpieces folded inwards as it met his shoulder, and he flicked the other closed with the tips of his fingers. He held the flap of his suit's jacket open, carefully tucking the sunglasses into its inside pocket. Hazel irises met the gaming visor.

There was one redeeming aspect to the canceled 'merger': his workload would lighten for a while. Now he had time to put pleasure over business.

The transmission card met the wireless port. The visor found his eyes. He swept his fingers over the touchpad, sending the cursor to a familiar icon. A sword slid down from the top of the screen, clanking against a backdrop of burned parchment. The keyboard clicked with a memorized pattern.

Enter.

He left himself behind in the tunnel of psychedelic light. Twenties became forties, and a thin frame grew muscular and strong. The linings of business metamorphosed into metal. The edges of the briefcase grew serriform and sharp.

Lia Fail was just a moment away.

_User: Lantus. Welcome to The World._

* * *

><p>Boring.<p>

There could be no other way to adequately describe this dungeon. The tunnels were a redundant maze of ochre brick and dirt floors. The creatures were far from vicious: it was rare for them to even mount an attack before his axe split them in two. The largest rooms - cavernous expanses lined with imposing columns and multiple portals - posed no challenge at all. At the very least, he had hoped to encounter a fellow PKer, to engage in a duel - but even that eluded him, for every single floor was devoid of players. The entire place was, quite simply, a slumber-inducing bore.

He had expected more from Omega Server. It was nothing like the stories passed down by players of old. He remembered a time when even the strongest parties would struggle to reach the lowest levels of these dungeons. They would recount tales of hordes of monsters, of gigantic bosses, of struggles between life and death - and now, here he was, soloing through the same areas without breaking a sweat. The dark, ominous halls were only shadows of their former selves.

He stifled a yawn as he descended a flight of stairs, heading down to the dungeon's fourth floor. This was the life of a max-level player, he supposed. There truly wasn't all that much to do once one reached the cap. The search for equipment was important, but a small variation in stats truly meant nothing against a sliver of player skill. PKing was another option, but most players tended to run at first sight of the dreaded '99', and killing the defenseless in mid-flight offered him little joy. That left two options: exploration and the advancement of wealth. Fortunately, those two often went hand-in-hand, and both, being hobbies in real life, were quite enjoyable to him.

He stepped onto the fourth floor, noting a small change in scenery. The ground here was comprised of grey stone, and the wall tiles had undergone a slight change in shape, though that was nothing out of the ordinary. He continued on, walking down the entrance hall. He took a right at the first junction, following the path to a small room.

His feet came to an abrupt halt.

At the other end of the room was a descending staircase - a passage down to the next floor.

He raised a bushy eyebrow. That certainly seemed strange. It was extremely rare to come across the entrance to a new floor so quickly, and doing so without encountering a single monster was practically unheard of. Perhaps it was a glitch in the map generation engine.

He continued onwards, adjusting the axe upon his shoulder as he strolled towards the staircase. His plated boots met the stone steps, clanking with each step downwards. Reaching the fifth floor, he walked out into the entrance hall.

And again, he came to a halt.

His eyes slid around the hall, giving it glances of suspicion - first to the right, then to the left, and then downwards.

Ochre bricks. Dirt floors. The same textures he had seen on the first three floors.

He turned his head, peering back over his shoulder. The staircase stared at him with a quiet stillness.

_That way._

He turned around, heading back to the stone steps. After ascending to the previous floor, he made his way back to the junction. The uncharted passage became his target: he followed it with intrigue, taking hasty steps down the zigzags of the corridor. At the third turn, a stone archway came into view, marking the entrance to a room.

He passed through the archway with caution, his eyes scanning the room beyond. It was a small chamber, square and unremarkable. The yellow light of a monster portal was not present. No treasure chests could be found. There was absolutely nothing that set the area apart from any other.

That was his first impression - until he noticed two exceptions.

On the right wall, mixed in among the pattern of diamond-shaped stone, were two tiny orbs. One was yellow, and the other was blue.

Creases of curiosity appeared upon his brow. He walked over to the wall, stopping at arm's length. His eyes focused upon the twin jewels, examining them closely. They shone with a strange luster - a faint glow that, oddly enough, did not seem to give off any light.

Subconsciously, in a sort of trance, he reached out to the yellow jewel, tapping it with metal fingers.

Nothing happened.

His brow furrowed. He moved a gauntlet to his chin, staring at the jewels in contemplation. He certainly could not remove them; they were firmly ingrained into the stone. But what was their purpose? Why were they here? They did not appear to be switches, as he had thought. Could they simply be relics left over in the programming code?

His thoughts wandered through the possibilities. His gaze drifted over blue and yellow, across the fallow diamonds of the wall, onto the golden eyes below the yellow-

Eyes.

His own widened in alarm. He took a quick step backwards, swinging his axe off his shoulder and holding it steady in both hands. He planted his feet firm against the floor, readying himself for an incoming attack.

The pair of golden almonds blinked at him, their eyelids blending in against the wall's texture. Tiny black pupils stared into his narrowed eyes with curiosity. A moment passed - and then, two inches beneath the eyes, a row of sandlike spikes appeared, their sharp points linked into a wicked smile.

"Look, we have a visitor! Perhaps an inquisitor?" the thing said, musing with glee.

A second pair of eyes - identical to the first - appeared below the blue orb. A twin mouth soon joined it, its solemn expression held within stone lips.

"It seems so," a deeper voice, grave and serious, said. "Shall we do it, then?"

As Lantus looked on in bewilderment, the two creatures shifted out of the wall, their diamond-shaped bodies passing through the stone as if it were liquid. Their forms retained a rough and rocky texture, and each was slightly larger than his head in size - but they floated through the air like kites, seemingly unaffected by the rules of gravity.

"What in the world...?" murmured Lantus, wide-eyed.

"I was right!" said the yellow, spinning with a grin. It stopped on a tilted axis, smile replaced by a curious look. "But why the fright?"

"Perhaps he believes that we intend to attack. Your antics are apt to seem threatening," the blue responded, stone-faced.

The yellow pouted. "Killjoy to moi."

"You are not a Noble Grunty." The blue turned towards a perplexed Lantus. "Why do you stare at us in this manner?"

"... I have never encountered an event monster that understood speech..." said Lantus, more to himself than in response.

"You are mistaken. Our meeting does not adhere to preprogrammed instancing," said the blue.

"Not an event!" the yellow declared, floating over to Lantus's left shoulder. It spun itself downside-up, giving him an inverted sneer. "Does your brain have a dent?"

Lantus scowled. He aimed his axe towards the yellow, raising it to strike - but the monster quickly retreated, darting back to the blue's side.

"Easily enraged. Top of the temper gauge!" it said, letting out a snicker through interlaced teeth.

"It is because you are obnoxious," replied the blue, as blunt as ever. As the yellow glared its way, the blue's eyes returned to Lantus. "I apologize for my other half."

Lantus raised an eyebrow. "What sort of creatures are you, if not from an event?"

Somehow, the blue's voice became even more solemn. "Our name is Gorre. We are the fifth of eight."

"Master of schemes, plotter supreme!" added the yellow.

Lantus's brow furrowed. His eyes shifted from the blue to the yellow, and then back again - but he kept his axe held at the ready.

"Do you still intend to attack us?" said the blue, its implication ambiguous.

A sly smile crossed Lantus's face. "Such a strange creature is bound to drop a unique item. It is only natural that I should want to attack."

"That would not be wise."

"Oh?" said Lantus, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Do you believe you can win?"

"Incorrect," said the blue - much to Lantus's surprise. "In our current state, the probability of victory rests at twelve percent. The odds lie with you."

A mix of confusion and suspicion found Lantus. "... Then why?"

"Because we are able to offer you what you truly desire." The blue stared deep into Lantus's eyes, peering into his soul. "Power... Wealth... Limitless adventure. All of them can be yours."

Lantus blinked - and then scoffed. "As if I would believe such an outlandish claim. What would a creature in a virtual reality know of me?"

The two paused for a moment, hovering still - and then, the blue spoke.

"You joined The World on February 5th, 2013. Your first character was a Long Arm of the same name - which you deleted one week later because 'it is a weak class'. One month later, you founded the guild 'Trailblazers'. Three months later, it was disbanded by your hand. You kept all donations made to the guild treasure chest. Following that, you rarely joined parties, primarily playing solo. You currently have twenty-six names within your friends list. Only three have logged on within the past six months. You engage in player killing on a frequent basis, but it is rare for you to attack players under level fifty - most likely due to the relatively low value of the items within their inventories. You once owned an Iron Grunty named 'Ingot'. You traded it for the axe within your hands."

"Do you get the gist, or shall we persist?" said the yellow, grinning.

Lantus stared at the two in astonishment. "How is this possible?"

"We know all there is to know within The World." The blue hovered a slight distance upwards, as if ascending onto a pedestal. "Every shard of data, every message and mail, every record that has passed within the system - all of it is within our grasp."

"... Even if you speak the truth," said Lantus, sorting his thoughts, "the knowledge that you've collected is merely from a game. With such limited information, how can you claim to know my true self?"

"That is simple. The desires of one manifest in the other." A slight smirk crossed the blue's lips. "We are familiar with second lives. We died once, you know."

"Dissipation, reincarnation!" the yellow exclaimed, spinning with a cackle.

Lantus stared at them in silence. After a moment, his gaze drifted down to the serrated blade of his axe. His hazel irises focused upon one of the sawlike teeth, and he furrowed his brow in thought. Seconds passed - but, with time, he raised his eyes, peering at Gorre with a hesitant curiosity.

"... What are you proposing, exactly?"

The two stared at him for a moment - and then, their eyes shifted in unison, sharing a sidelong glance. Slowly, their gaze returned to Lantus.

A thin pair of devious smiles formed across grainy teeth.

"Have you ever heard of the _.hackers...?_"

* * *

><p>It didn't occur to him until the very last moment.<p>

All of the information was correct. Everything was as Gorre had said. The field was locked to ordinary players. The siblings had characters unique to the rest. The boy had a bracelet, and its power could unlock gates. The field was a marsh, and the dungeon was afloat.

There was no reason to doubt its last statement. There was no reason to think that the chest beyond the gate contained anything but treasure.

That he had been marked as the Pandora of The World.

The truth was inside that chest. The truth stood out against its contents - against that black void of nothingness. The truth was in that sliver of white.

That same smile that had crossed Gorre's lips.

But it was too late. There was no hope. The rest was a lie.

All he could do was scream.


	6. Perception

**VI. Perception**

Ominous. That was the best word he could think of to describe this place.

The air hung heavy with silence as Shugo stared up at the massive building before him. The sun hovered just above its central peak, turning its many spires into black daggers against the clouded sky. Ornate stained-glass windows marked its facade - a rosace above its double doors, and a spearhead upon both of the looming towers that formed its corners. The dark granite bricks that formed its Gothic exterior seemed to blend with the shadow that covered the stone bridge leading to its entrance. The entire structure sat upon a tiny raised island, standing at the very center of an immense lake of mist.

Hulle Granz Cathedral. Sanjuro had brought him here once before. The meaning of the 'Epitaph' his master had mentioned was lost upon him, but he had taken away one thing from the conversation. This area held some sort of grave importance to the people who had come before him.

This was only his second visit, though. This place always left him with a bad feeling.

His steps were quiet as he approached the stairs leading to the building's entrance. He ascended them lightly, the tension within his gut escalating with each rise in height. Eight steps. It seemed silly to make note of such a thing, but counting them helped to calm his nerves. He eyed the double doors with caution, peering into the gap created by the ajar right panel. Then, he slipped between them, making his way inside.

The arches of the cathedral's ceiling greeted their visitor's eyes, staring down at him from heavenly heights. Small bronze chandeliers descended from the spaces between, dangling low over rows of velvet-backed pews. An intricate diamond-shaped pattern covered the marble floors, its painstakingly detailed features gleaming under the ample light - yet the wall-mounted candelabras were unlit, rendered useless by the immense window at the structure's back wall. The sunlight flowed through its decorative glass circles, bathing the cathedral's central monument in radiance. It was a statue of Aura, set into stone, tethered to the building by eight chains of black iron.

And in the shadow of the statue stood a solitary figure, gazing up at the captive goddess.

Only his back was visible to Shugo. In height, he was roughly his observer's equal, being quite short on the spectrum of player characters. His hair was a dull shade of silver, short and scraggly, yet seeming to retain a distinct form through its disorder. Clinging to his shoulders was a ragged black mantle, its many folds and wrinkles shrouded amid the cloth's shade. A charcoal-gray robe hung loosely around his frame, covering his arms and neck with long sleeves and a high collar. Though he lacked a respective weapon, the boy's appearance was similar to that of a wavemaster, and Shugo mistook him for such at first glance.

But one step towards the stranger put that theory into jeopardy.

"Don't you find it ironic?"

Shugo stopped in his tracks. The voice matched the body - that of a young male, higher than one would expect in adulthood. It was the numbers that didn't add up. There seemed to be two voices - one from its respective larynx, and one from somewhere deep within him, echoing through his insides, sending ripples over his organs. The feeling nearly made him choke on his answer.

"I-ironic?"

"Yes. When humans reach saudade for a guiding angel, they set out to create one for themselves. And, against all odds, they manage to succeed." The stranger raised his head slightly, staring up at the statue's face. "Yet rather than celebrating their own abilities, they construct an idol to worship their creation, relegating themselves as followers to a being whose very existence is owed to their efforts." He turned his head slightly, revealing a set of long, wiry bangs. "I think that's the very definition of irony. Don't you agree?"

Shugo narrowed his eyes. "Are you the one who sent the mail?"

"Yes, that'd be me."

Shugo drew his daggers in a flash, steadying his feet. The stranger, however, simply turned back to the statue, seeming to sigh.

"Already looking for a fight... I was hoping that she would pick a better one."

"She?" echoed Shugo. His anger grew as Rena drifted into his mind. "How do you know about us? Are you with Lantus?"

"... Lantus..." the boy murmured, as if thinking the name over. "Oh, Gorre's mark. It's unfortunate that he possessed a desire for it. I suppose he's a casualty of the circumstance." He swiveled towards Shugo, raising an eyebrow his way. "Your question is strange. How can I be allied with someone who's no longer alive?"

Shugo's jaw dropped ajar. Beneath the boy's brow were two abyssal voids - black containers for the organs that seemed to have been ripped from their sockets. Decayed flaps of skin flitted over the holes, skimming over blood-red corners - and yet, the rest of his face was pearly and plump, like that of a cherub. His visage made the morbid statement seem docile.

Shugo took a step backwards, repulsed by the gruesome sight. His eyes retreated to the bottom edge of the boy's robe, quickly noticing a strange quality of the fabric. Its tatters floated just above the floor, tracing jagged trails upon the marble. "A wandering AI?"

"What?"

Shugo stared at an empty cathedral. Blinking, he turned his head - and found the voids hovering beside him. In an instant, a hand had clamped down upon his neck, lifting him into the air effortlessly. His daggers fell to the floor with a clang, drowning out his choked gasps. He clawed at the cold fingers around his throat, writhing against the viselike grip. The boy's face contorted into a snarl.

"You have the audacity to compare me to those lowly scraps of data? _You_, Fili? _Your title means less than DUST!_" He twisted his head, staring at Shugo's paling face like a snake observing a rat. "Perhaps I should take your ability to speak, hm? How well will you utter such words of wisdom without a tongue?"

Shugo's lungs blazed with pain. His flailing legs soon became still, dangling under him, jerking with throes of agony. A tunnel of darkness closed around his eyes, encircling the burnt wicks of a nearby candelabra.

The boy sighed.

"Six seconds to asphyxiation. That would be inconvenient."

Suddenly, Shugo was hurtling through the air, flung towards the statue at a breakneck speed. His back slammed into stone, knocking out what little air was left in his lungs. Doubled up at the monument's feet, he gasped violently, clutching his throat, fearing that it had been pierced. A red aura began to blink around his body.

"On the verge of death already?" the boy remarked. As he glided down the nave, a look of amusement crossed his face. "Player characters are much too fragile."

Shugo scrambled into a sitting position, aiming his bracelet at the approaching threat. "Day..." he breathed, struggling to get out the words. "_Data Drain!_"

The boy made no effort to dodge. He simply floated beside the monument's viewing rail, impassive as the beam of light sped towards him. It struck him directly in the chest - and immediately split in all directions, striking every surface of the cathedral with a burst of multi-colored rays. When the light faded, the boy remained, standing unscathed. He let out another sigh.

"Your ignorance continues to astound me."

Shugo sat wide-eyed, frozen in disbelief. He watched as the boy gave a wave of his arm, expecting an attack, but unaware of the chains unfurling around the statue behind him. When the jangles reached his ears, it was already too late. Two shot out towards him, curling around his wrists like serpents, pulling each arm to the side. As he struggled futilely, they lifted him up against the statue, quickly joined by six others around his torso and knees. Locked in a crucifix, he stood helpless, unable to move a muscle.

"Much better. I prefer not to deal with your fruitless attempts at aggression," said the boy, running his hand through his bangs - as if brushing away a headache.

Shugo gritted his teeth, expecting the worst - but the boy merely looked to the side, staring up at one of the cathedral's arches. After a few moments, a look of contempt passed over his face. It vanished as he turned back to a confused Shugo.

"What a strange reaction. Are you that eager to experience death?" The boy's curiosity vanished when panic sparked through Shugo's eyes. "Perhaps not. Regardless, your fear is unjustified. I have no intention of ending your life just yet."

"W-what _are _you?" stammered Shugo. The boy's brow furrowed, the voids beneath it narrowing like hungry mouths.

"Still offensive. Consider yourself lucky that I need you with all parts intact." He floated up over the rail, hovering a few feet before Shugo. "Still, I should relieve you of that oblivious mind of yours."

A gleam of metal caught Shugo's eye. Lying just below the boy's collar was a platinum brooch, pinned to the center of his mantle. It was cast in the familiar shape of an infinity symbol - but a spike was driven through its center, splitting the piece straight down the middle.

"Like Aura's..." murmured Shugo. Looking up, he found that a small smile had crossed the boy's face.

"I am known as Erebus. I see Sister has been keeping you in the dark for quite a while."

Shugo's jaw dropped in shock. "You're... her _brother?_"

"That would be the closest concept in relation to human connections." Erebus crossed his arms, slipping his hands into his sleeves. "Though you asked what I _am_, and that would be an inaccurate answer. The term you're searching for is 'failsafe'."

"Failsafe?"

"Yes. Your very presence here is the proof that an intervention is necessary." His voids narrowed, their focus indeterminable. "As with her, the power that you carry has no place in such reckless hands."

"What do you mean, reckless? I haven't done anything wrong!"

"No?" challenged Erebus. He pointed a finger accusingly, drawing Shugo's eyes to the bracelet. "Have you any idea of the true capabilities of that item?"

Confused, Shugo gave him a blank look. The boy's voids narrowed.

"As I thought. Allow me to enlighten you about that power you so blatantly toss around." Looking a bit disgusted, Erebus raised his finger to his temple. "I assume you're aware of the intraneural connections that allow access to this world. Correct?"

_He understands the real world?_ Shugo nodded, surprised.

"That bracelet you wear operates under similar principles. Its function depends entirely upon the owner's thought process at the time of use," said Erebus, lowering his hand. "In other words, the effect procured by its attack is directly correlated to the user's own intentions."

"What are you talking about?" asked Shugo, baffled by the onslaught of jargon. Erebus sighed with aggravation.

"To compensate for your oblivious mind, I'll have to put it simply." Again, he pointed accusingly - this time at Shugo. "With that item's power, you are able to change any aspect of this world that you desire. Even the code designed to handle connections to the human mind can be altered. The only limitations are your own."

"That doesn't... You're not making any sense!" exclaimed Shugo, fed-up with the roundabout speech. "What does this have to do with Rena? Why did you threaten her?"

"Because you are dangerous."

A bewildered look shot onto Shugo's face. "I'm... _dangerous?_"

"Yes. As with all humans, it is only a matter of time before your inherit nature leads to irreparable damage to that which surrounds you." Erebus dipped his head, shaking it in disapproval. "Unfortunately, Sister seems to have acquired these characteristics as well."

"You think Aura is dangerous?" asked Shugo, amazed by the sheer lunacy of the idea.

"That is without question. Her actions - and by extension, yours - are corruptions of the original intent set out by our creator. They are unwanted variables that compromise the integrity of the system." Erebus crossed his arms, returning his hands to his sleeves. "Hence, my creation. I was designed to deal with such occurrences."

"Deal with?" A lump of uneasiness rose within Shugo's stomach. "... How?"

"The ideal method is deletion. Such actions cannot occur without the perpetrators." Erebus smiled, raising a hand to his neck, sliding a forefinger across the flawless skin. "'The end excuses any evil', as you humans say."

"You... want to kill your own sister?" shouted Shugo, overcome with disgust. His fists clenched into balls as he struggled against the shackles. "_What's wrong with you?_"

"Hm? Why the sudden outburst?" Erebus tilted his head, staring with black holes of confusion. "Your own life sits in my hands, and yet you only seem concerned with hers. Why is that?"

"A monster like you wouldn't understand that!"

"... You're still loyal to her, aren't you?"

Shugo looked daggers at the smile aimed his way. Breaking into low laughter, Erebus raised a hand to his face, covering one hole with the grasping claw.

"Unbelievable. It seems fitting that her very own partisan would set me free."

Shugo's eyes widened as the ship's gate flashed into his mind. This... _thing_ was inside that chest? If that was true, then-

"Betray with the flawed image," said Erebus, raising his palm to air.

Suddenly, a strange-looking wall flashed before Shugo, filling his view with random, multi-colored designs. There were chunks of brown and pink, swirls of tan and red, black and grey lines that dashed in every direction - but they were gone with a blink, leaving only a phantom image within his mind.

"What did you just do?" demanded Shugo.

"Nothing that will endanger your life. You serve your purpose quite well as you are," replied Erebus. He descended to the monument's viewing rail, taking a seat upon the iron rod, concealed feet resting upon the floor. "In a situation such as this, live bait tends to yield the best results."

"_Bait?_"

"Yes. Allow me to demonstrate." Erebus raised a hand to his forehead, placing the tips of two fingers - index and middle - at the center of his brow. "Seduce with the sweet trap."

A ring of brilliant blue light appeared at the bottom of Erebus's cloak. It traveled up his frame slowly, transforming his character model into a much more familiar design. Grey and black gave way to orange and white - and as the halo vanished above Erebus's head, Shugo stared in disbelief at an exact replica of his own avatar.

"Pretty cool, huh?" said the doppelganger - in Shugo's own voice.

A look of horror leapt onto Shugo's face. A moment later, his fears were confirmed: the doppelganger swung his legs over the rail and rose from his seat, breaking into a casual stroll towards the cathedral's entrance. The sway of a wrist, the landing of a foot, the turn of the head - even the smallest movements were duplicated perfectly.

"Where are you going? Stop!" yelled Shugo. The doppelganger paused amidst his stride, glancing over his shoulder in curiosity.

"Huh? I'm just picking up my daggers." He continued down the nave, stopping once his feet reached the discarded weapons. Dropping to one knee, he retrieved them from the floor, slipping them into their sheathes. "Someone might swipe 'em if I just let them sit here." Reclaiming his feet, he turned back to Shugo, noticing the icy stare aimed his way. An atypic smirk formed upon his lips. "Besides, I can't leave. Bith's meeting me here."

Shugo felt his gut wrench. _Bith? There's more than one of these guys?_

"... Oh, you don't know who that is?" inquired the doppelganger, noticing Shugo's dismay. A cheerful smile popped onto his face as he sauntered back down the nave. He stopped at the statue's rail. "Don't worry. You'll see in a few seconds."

A stretch of silence passed within the cathedral. Shugo's eyes darted around the vast room, dashing from wall to wall, searching for the appearance of another AI. They found nothing. Suspecting a trick, Shugo looked back to the doppelganger - but a sudden creak from the entrance seized his gaze. One of the double doors had been pushed wide open, and standing against the outside light was a feminine figure, one palm held against the wooden grain.

Shugo's eyes widened with horror.

The doppelganger turned, giving his visitor a warm smile. "Hey Rena."

"Hey," she said softly, barely reaching Shugo's ears. Her eyes quickly left the doppelganger's, choosing to drift up to the majestic ceilings as she approached. "What is this place?"

"Rena! Run! Get out of here!" yelled Shugo.

"I'm not really sure. Sanjuro told me about it," replied the doppelganger, shrugging. A grin formed upon his face. "It's a super secret area, I guess."

A smile slipped past Rena's defenses. "I don't see any sponges, Big Brother."

Shugo stared at her in disbelief. "What are you doing? That's not me! Can't you-"

The epiphany was like a stab in the heart. No. She couldn't see him. The strange wall that had flashed in front of him was for more than show. Somehow, it had blocked him from her sight - and, seemingly, all her other senses. Even his voice had no chance of reaching her ears. Rena was completely oblivious to his presence.

The true him, at least.

"Uh..." mumbled Rena, fidgeting nervously against the strange silence. Her right hand wandered to her forearm as she met the doppelganger's eyes. "So why did you want to meet up here?"

The doppelganger's face turned solemn. "Don't you want to talk about it?"

A tinge of pink flew to Rena's cheeks, betraying her feigned ignorance. "T-talk about what?"

"... Well, us."

Shugo's eyes pierced the back of his clone's head. "Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this!"

"L-look. That was an accident," said Rena, holding her palms up at length. "I didn't mean it. Well, I meant it but - n-no, not like that! I was... You just turned. I didn't think you would and... I don't-"

"Rena."

Rena stiffened, drawing her lips together tight. Teal met carmine, burning crimson calderas into her cheeks. She swallowed anxiously, trying to force down her beating heart. The pulses were too fast to count.

Already caught. How was she going to explain this to him? What would he _think_ of something so-

"Good things can come out of accidents..." said the doppelganger, taking a cautious step forward. "Right?"

Rena's mouth dropped ajar.

"_YOU BASTARD!_ Stay away from her!" screamed Shugo - but his rage drew no reaction. The doppelganger continued his advance, his small smile unwavering.

"I thought it was only me, but... You feel it too, don't you?"

"Shugo!" whispered Rena, wide-eyed with shock. Her feet forced her to take a step backwards, but one was all they could manage.

"It's okay. Don't worry," cooed the doppelganger, walking into arm's length. "No-one has to know about it. It'll be our secret. Just us."

Rena lowered her eyes, gazing into his vest. "It... doesn't bother you?"

The doppelganger simply smiled. "How could being with you bother me?"

"Damn it!" shouted Shugo, fighting back the tears welling in his eyes. "Please! Rena! _It isn't me!_"

"... Shugo..." whispered Rena.

The doppelganger took a step forward, raising his arms for an embrace. "Rena..."

"... is nothing like you."

In one swift motion, Rena drew her blade and whipped it through the imposter's waist, cleaving his torso from his legs. A gash of limpid purple fragments was left in its wake - but the doppelganger's body healed instantaneously, recovering in the blink of an eye. A warm smile crossed his face, causing Rena's eyes to widen in alarm. She shielded herself behind her blade - but suddenly, she was sailing backwards, blown towards the entrance by a shockwave. Her sword flew from her hand and spun into an array of pews, smashing them into piles of scrap. Landing in the middle of the nave, she crashed down upon her shoulder, a cry of pain escaping from her lips.

"Rena!" screamed Shugo, twisting his body futilely against the restraints.

"How unfortunate. I was hoping that you could witness her face as 'you' ended her life," said the doppelganger, returning to a younger voice. He held his hand into the air - and with a snap of his fingers, the cloned character model shattered, separating into hundreds of tiny fragments of radiant blue. The shards quickly vanished amid the air, leaving behind Erebus's cloaked figure. He glared at the cathedral's ceiling, thrusting an arm out towards Rena in presentment. "What does it require for you to appear, Sister? How many mutilations must I inflict upon this girl - the one loved by your so-called champion?"

"_DON'T TOUCH HER!_" roared Shugo. Erebus spun towards him, scowling at his helpless captive.

"Quiet, lest I rip out your tongue and tie it into a gag!" he shouted, his voice booming through the vast expanse.

"You'll do no such thing!" came a chivalrous voice.

Rena's world was a spinning daze, filled with blurry objects and echoing shouts - but, amidst the chaos, she thought she heard Shugo's voice. The real Shugo. She was sure it was him. It was that belief that forced her to pick herself off the ground. She crawled onto her hands and knees, opening her eyes to a psychedelic mess of shifting diamonds upon the floor. Her arm found a sturdy metal support, and a gloved hand grasped her waist, helping to lift her to her feet.

_Shugo..._

As her vision cleared, Rena looked up at her savior, expecting teal - but finding white. White hair. White feathers. White knight.

"... Lord Balmung?" murmured Rena hazily, gazing at the steadfast glare aimed at her assailant. His mauve eyes softened, glancing down at her for a moment. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. We'll handle this."

Confused, Rena followed his glare back to its target. Her eyes flew open in shock. The nightmarish child that floated at the nave's end was terrifying - but that paled in comparison to the sight of her imprisoned brother.

"Shugo!" she shouted, taking a shaky step forward. Shugo's mouth hung ajar, but there was no response. He simply stared past her, eyes filled with awe.

"Well, this is troublesome," said Erebus, seeming unfazed by the confident smiles targeting him. "It seems the bait is only proficient at attracting his own kind."

Blinking, Rena glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes widened in surprise.

Sanjuro. Mireille. Hotaru. Ouka. All of them stood inside the cathedral's entrance, forming a barrier across the nave.

"Bait, huh?" said Ouka, uncrossing her arms. She held a fist out in front of her, flexing her knuckles, cracking a joint. "You were right, Balmung. Knocking this punk senseless is worth a few extra minutes."

Rena looked back to Balmung in bewilderment. "What's going on?"

"Earlier today, I received a report regarding a crash of Omega Server. Reki was kind enough to fill me in on the details," answered Balmung, his eyes never leaving Erebus. "Apparently, some sort of anomaly had been wrecking havoc on the server's communications code during the night. The damage was so extensive that CC Corp forced an emergency shutdown of the server - hiding the issue under the guise of unknown technical problems. They had hoped to contain the problem by isolating it from the network." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Roughly an hour ago, I was updated on the situation. It turns out that their efforts failed, and that the anomaly had managed to extract itself onto Delta Server. However, they _were_ able to pinpoint the area of transmission."

"Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground," added Sanjuro. A single eye traveled to Shugo. "Unlike some, Balmung was not foolish enough to walk into danger alone. I was contacted about the matter long before I tracked you from the hideout."

"Tracked me...?" answered Shugo in wonder. _That's right. I bumped into Sanjuro when I was grabbing potions, and he asked me where I was going... but there's no way he-_

"A response of 'meeting Rena' makes no sense when she's offline. Be glad that you happen to be a bad liar." Sanjuro's gaze diverted to Rena. "By the time you had logged on, Balmung and I had gathered the others to investigate this map. Naturally, we suspected that you might come here as well."

"You've been following me the entire time?" asked Rena, perplexed by the entire story.

"Mm hmm. Sanjuro told us to be as quiet as an aspirin," said Hotaru, lost in translation.

"Ooo, Lord Balmung!" chirped Mireille, raising her hand as if the cathedral were a classroom. She pointed to Erebus - who was now holding his forehead - with a gleam in her eye. "He's the anomaly, right? Do you think he drops rare items?"

"This is becoming tiring..." muttered Erebus. He removed his hand from his face, tightening it into a clawed cradle. "Hope darkens, sadness and despair rule."

A disturbance rippled through the air, sweeping over the group in a mere moment. Alarmed, they poised themselves for battle. Rena took a step backwards, eyeing her lost sword as Sanjuro and Balmung drew their own. The myriad of readied weapons only drew a smirk from Erebus.

"Such a hostile reaction. It seems that locking this field was the correct decision." He opened his palm, extending the tips of his fingers towards Balmung. "I assume your ragtag army intends to interfere in this matter?"

"Any threat to The World's players will receive no mercy from my blade," stated Balmung, gripping his hilt tight. "A virus such as yourself is no exception."

"... _Virus?_" said Erebus. His voids sharpened into knives, and his hand snapped into a trembling claw. "I wonder... _How loud will you scream when I rip those wings from your back?_"

"Balmung, stop! He's too strong!" yelled Shugo.

With her eyes fixated upon Shugo, Rena stood amidst the showdown in a daze.

Terrified. That face was a foggy memory. It floated between reality and imagination, challenging her recollection. He never looked that way, did he?

No. It was always the other way around. She was always letting her fears get the better of her. She was always the one that needed reassurance. It was always Shugo protecting her.

_I won't let anything happen to you._

Rena's hand balled into a fist.

The cobalt plating of Balmung's boot scraped towards Erebus. He studied his enemy like a hawk eyeing prey, vigilant to any slip-ups, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike. Nothing could escape his focus - but his allies were less centered on the opposition, letting them see what he could not. By the time he understood the situation, it was already too late: Rena had stepped past him, pointing the tip of her sword at Erebus's head.

"You freak! Let my brother go!"

"_ENOUGH!_" bellowed Erebus, causing everyone to step back in surprise. He thrust his right arm forward, clenching his fingers into a disfigured claw. "I've had my fill of arrogant trash! Six lives should be more than adequate!"

A ring of lucent purple shards materialized around Erebus's wrist. Five prongs burst forth from its glowing crystal, snapping into the air like disjointed fingers. Their tips pointed towards the group, forming a cannon-like array.

"That's..." said Balmung, eyes widening with horror.

"Look out!" yelled Sanjuro.

His cry came too late.

In truth, though, a few seconds would have made no difference. Drain Heart was impossible to avoid. The attack was simply too fast for dodging to be an option. Breaking the bracelet may have saved them, but none of them had experience with such a strategy. BlackRose was the only one to have done such a thing.

And her shocked counterpart was the first target.

As panicked screams filled the air, one of the countless streams of data shot towards Rena, striking her straight in the chest.


	7. Antithesis

**VII. Antithesis**

The data stream collided with Rena's tanned skin - and immediately shattered into pieces, setting off a chain reaction that spread to the entire array in the blink of an eye. Every last one of the static spears exploded in unison, their shards vanishing into air. Even Erebus's bracelet was destroyed in the blast. Wincing in pain, he grabbed his wrist, gliding a small distance backwards. A scowl crossed his face as his voids returned to Rena.

"You... What did you do?"

Dumbfounded, Rena looked down, blinking at her unharmed body. _What _did_ I do? I should be dead..._

"Rena..." said Hotaru, struck with wonder. "In your hair!"

Following the group's amazed eyes, Rena looked up to the left, noticing a glowing radiance at the edge of her view. The golden hairpin above her ear had come alive, shining bright with a purity that matched heaven.

"This... stopped it?"

"That's absurd! None of Sister's powers can counteract mine!" shouted Erebus, pointing at Rena with disdain. "Where did you acquire such an i-"

The edge of Balmung's blade cut him off, slicing his face down the middle. Erebus's arm flew up in defense, receiving another slash as the first wound healed.

"Did you think I'd let you sit here and talk?" shouted Balmung, swinging his sword in quick, successive strikes, keeping Erebus on the defensive. "Sanjuro! Rena! Get Shugo!"

The two complied, dashing past the engagement and leaping over the statue's viewing rail. Narrowing his voids, Erebus flung his arm downward, sending out a violent shockwave. Balmung was sent hurtling into the air - but he spread his wings midway through the flight, slowing himself just in time to avoid crashing through the cathedral's rosace.

"Filthy pigeon!" roared Erebus, aiming his left arm at the hovering knight. "You'll be the first to die!"

"RaVak Don!"

Erebus looked down to Mireille - and found a spinning fireball blocking his view. The resulting explosion shook the cathedral, rattling dust from its heights. Regenerating the arm that had absorbed the blast, Erebus peered through the cloud of smoke, his features locked into a furious grimace.

"So swords and spells don't work... Then how about a _kick!_"

Whipping through the smog, Ouka's shin slammed into the side of Erebus's head - and this time, he was the one that was sent flying. His cloaked figure shot out from the cloud like a rocket, slamming into the cathedral's side wall with enough force to rattle the chandeliers. He landed on his hands and knees, lying in a hunched mass near the wrecked pews.

Shugo looked on in awe. His friends were actually _beating_ that thing. The sight was so incredible that he lost track of his own situation. By the time he noticed them loosening, six of the eight chains had already been cut, their links slashed by heavy blade skills. The last two were broken simultaneously, freeing him from his bonds - and one second later, he was recaptured, engulfed in Rena's embrace. She buried her face in his shoulder, clutching onto him as tightly as her arms would allow.

"Rena..." murmured Shugo, looking down into a crown of lilac, surprised. He raised his hands to her shoulders, grasping them gently. "Hey... It's okay. I'm fine."

Rena drew back, lifting her head to meet his gaze. The sight of carmine was a bigger surprise.

Worry. Uncertainty. Maybe even doubt. None of those emotions made sense to him at the moment, but all shimmered within her eyes. His concern manifested into a question - but a warning cut him off.

"Stay on your guard. This isn't over," ordered Sanjuro.

A shockwave concurred with his words, nearly knocking Shugo and Rena off balance. Startled, their eyes flew to Erebus. Still upon the floor, his cloaked figure trembled, releasing a second pulse into the air. Crooked fingers dug into marble, crushing the stone into gravel with their immense strength. His head whipped upwards, revealing a countenance mangled by rage.

"I see... The best way to deal with vermin..." growled Erebus, raising white knuckles above his head, "_is to give them nowhere to flee!_"

His fist thundered downwards, striking the floor with a deafening boom.

"_DROWN ALL THAT STANDS!_"

And with that, he vanished, leaving a small crater in his wake. Startled, the group glanced around the cathedral, expecting an incoming attack. Yet, strangely, nothing happened. Even after several seconds, the cathedral retained its tranquil silence.

"... _Is_ it over?" asked Rena, confused.

"Well, that's disappointing," said Ouka, resting her knuckles upon her hips. "I didn't think he'd run away."

"No way," said Shugo, shaking his head in dissension. "This guy wouldn't just turn tail and leave. He won't stop coming after us."

"But why? What did we do?" asked Hotaru, distressed.

"We're his best chance to draw out Aura," replied Shugo. He looked down, narrowing his eyes. "He told me that she's his sister... and that he's trying to kill her."

"What did you say?" exclaimed Balmung, his head snapping towards Shugo. The melancholy exterior that greeted his sight left no question to his senses. His eyes narrowed as Erebus's brooch flashed into his mind.

_Cubia... Could Aura herself have an anti-existence as well?_

"That's horrible!" exclaimed Rena, disgusted by the prospect. "Why would he want to do something like that?"

"Who knows. The guy's a lunatic!" answered Shugo. "He was saying she was a threat to The World, and some-"

"Shh!" hissed Sanjuro, glaring at Shugo for a moment before looking off into space.

Shugo gave him a confused look. "... Master?"

It was only then that he heard it. There was no telling how long it had been there, hidden under the echoes of their voices - but it was impossible to miss under silence.

Coming from all around them was a faint rumble, its reverberations growing louder with each passing second.

"Where is Mirei?" shouted Sanjuro, scanning over the room in haste. Alarmed, the others looked around frantically, searching for the missing girl. Suddenly, as if on cue, she popped through the open entrance, a look of panic plastered upon her face.

"Guys! We've got _big_ trouble!"

"What's wrong?" asked Ouka.

Unable to find her words, Mireille pointed out the door, waving her arm wildly. Being the closest to the entrance, Hotaru and Balmung made their way outside - and stopped dead upon the doorstep. A look of terror swept over Hotaru's face. Balmung whipped around, shouting back into the cathedral.

"Everyone - outside, _now!_"

Shugo and Rena leapt over the viewing rail, trailing just behind Sanjuro as the group rushed towards the door. The light of dusk met their eyes as they burst into open air - and soon, they were frozen in place along with their comrades, staring wide-eyed at what lay upon the horizon.

The lake's mist had vanished, revealing a massive wall of gushing water in the far distance. The cataract cascaded over the land's rocky cliffs, crashing against the bottom of the dried-out basin, filling it at an unfathomable pace.

"What do we do? Log out isn't working!" cried Mireille, shaking in fear.

Furrowing his brow at the dire situation, Sanjuro looked over his shoulder. "Shugo! We need to get out of here!"

Shugo nodded, pushing down the uneasy feeling within his chest. He raised his arm to the sky, holding the bracelet up above him. It flashed to life - and dimmed instantly, taking any hope of a Gate Hack with its fading light.

_Just like before... He's trying to kill us the same way._

"It won't work! We have to get to higher ground!" shouted Shugo. His eyes left the dismayed group, flying up to the cathedral's roof.

Ouka followed his gaze, narrowing her eyes at the vast heights. "But there's no way up there..."

Balmung gritted his teeth. This situation seemed hopeless. He could reach the perch under his own power, but carrying the others was beyond his abilities. Even if he could manage to fly to such a height with someone in tow, the water was simply rising at too great a speed. Even in the best case scenario, more than half of them would be swept away.

No. That wasn't an option. There had to be a way out of this without abandoning them all to-

His eyes shot open. _That's it!_

"Mireille!" shouted Balmung, his sudden call scaring her half-to-death. "That staff! Does it have ice spells?"

Mireille blinked in confusion - but her face lit up a moment later. "I got it!"

"Put it right below the steps! As large as you can make it!" Balmung whipped around to the others. "Hotaru, help her! The rest of you, we need to get those doors sealed! Hurry!"

Breaking out of their confusion, the group rushed to execute his orders. As they pulled the heavy wooden panels into place, Mireille held her cross-shaped staff into the air.

"Alright! One iceberg, coming up!" She swung it towards the bridge, pointing its tip at the base of the steps. "LaRue Zot!"

The moisture of the surrounding air sped to the target area, crystallizing under a mist of glacial cold. The shard of ice quickly grew into a small mass, constantly fed by the torrent of drops sucked towards it. Yet, when the spell was done, the 'iceberg' that was formed was no larger than its caster.

"Waah?" cried Mireille, looking at the chunk in dismay. "There's no way I can make it that big! I don't have enough SP!"

"Rig Geam!"

A sparkling blue aura rose from Mireille's feet, enveloping her in a pillar of soothing light. Blinking at the regeneration spell, she looked over to Hotaru in surprise. The meek girl had produced a staff from her inventory, holding it perpendicular to her body, one hand clasped shut and the other in an open palm. It was the gnarled branch of a tree, its top split into three roots that held a glowing orange orb. Opening her eyes, she gave Mireille a petite smile.

"I don't think I can make myself fight... but I'll do everything I can to help us survive!" She righted her staff, using the tip of one of its roots to lift up her hat. Her baby grunty peeped out of the opening, huddled in its hiding place atop her head. "I have to protect everyone - Mr. Grunty, too."

Mireille smiled wide, pointing her staff back towards the ice chunk. "Okay! Let's go, water enhancement spells!"

Hotaru nodded, swinging her own into position. "Ap Ruem!"

"A little wave won't wash away The Rare Hunter of Love and Courage!" shouted Mireille, waving her glowing blue weapon at the ice chunk. "LaRue Zot! LaRue Zot! _LaRue Zot!_"

Dozens of ice chunks joined their solitary brother, smashing into each other, coalescing under the arctic air. Together, they formed a giant mass, just large enough to seat seven. Already aware of the plan, Mireille ensured that the iceberg's top was crafted flat, leaving only small hills and ridges for footholds.

The rumbles of churning water became a deafening roar. Glancing back, Balmung found the iceberg complete - and that the swirling rapids were now in view, mere moments from overtaking the bridge.

"Everyone, get on!" he shouted. As Sanjuro jammed his katana's sheath between the doors' handles, the others leapt onto the iceberg, slipping onto their hands and knees. Shugo wrapped his arm around Rena's shoulder, securing her from sliding off the edge. All of them clutched onto one another, even Sanjuro and Ouka - all but Balmung, who was the last one to jump from the steps. As the waters lifted the iceberg, he took to the air, ascending a fair distance above the floating mass. Looking down, he surveyed the situation.

_Good. They'll be alright. The currents are circling around the cathedral, so they should have plenty of time to-_

"Remnants of cruelty - punish and destroy."

Startled, Balmung turned his head - and found Erebus floating directly behind him. The boy smirked - and then a black stake erupted from his palm, piercing through Balmung's chest, killing him instantly.

"_Lord Balmung!_" screamed Rena, gaping at the sight in terror. The group's eyes flew up to the ghastly scene, and gasps of horror broke through the surging waves. Hotaru dropped her staff, burying her face in her hands as she huddled into a ball.

"How disappointing. Not even a cry of pain?" said Erebus, examining the limp, monotone body hanging from the curved spike. "I suppose it's too late to rip off those wings."

Then, with an aerial spin, he flung Balmung's body to the side, sending it sailing into the turbulent waters. It landed several dozen yards from the iceberg, disappearing with a splash - and they were both gone without a trace.

Mireille watched the entire scene in transfixion. Her face was a sheet of pale white. Her crimson irises trembled as they stared at the point where Balmung had vanished. She reached out to it, stretching towards the spot, trying to pull him back - but Ouka's hand latched onto her shoulder, saving her from toppling overboard.

"Mirei! Snap out of it!" yelled Ouka, grabbing both shoulders, looking her in the eyes.

"But... Balmung..." murmured Mireille, hanging limp in her grip. Her eyes began to shimmer, welling with tears. "... He..."

Ouka gritted her teeth. It was easy to forget that Mireille was just a child. In reality, most of the group was in the same boat. Holding onto Mireille with one arm, Ouka looked over her shoulder, sharing a quick glance with Sanjuro as he comforted Hotaru. Shugo felt Rena's hand tighten around his own, receiving a fearful squeeze as the iceberg shifted with the currents.

"... What do you think happened to him?" she whispered.

Shugo said nothing. No words could brighten this situation. Lies would only upset her more. As they rose with the circling waters, he chose to stay silent, fixing his eyes into a glare up at the cathedral's roof. It grew closer with each passing second, the distance diminishing along with the current's strength. When the summit finally came into view, the lake's surface had become peaceful. It almost seemed to mock their circumstances with its cruel contrast.

As the iceberg came to rest along the roof's side, Ouka and Sanjuro bounded onto the steep shingles, helping the less agile Mireille and Hotaru secure their feet as they followed suit. The twins were the last to join them - but soon, Shugo was leading the pack, treading up the slope with narrowed eyes. The rest of the group hurried after him, sending shouts of caution, but his feet kept their pace. He already knew what was waiting for them.

Shugo stepped onto the cathedral's summit, placing his boot down firm against the flat surface. It was a large, rectangular area, slightly smaller than the interior in size. The building's spires surrounded the platform, forming a boundary of spiked towers around the arena.

And at the other end floated Erebus, admiring the sunset in the distance.

"Your timing is perfect," he said, looking back at Shugo with a smirk. "Fading lives are the highest complement to this view."

Shugo's glare could have frozen the waters around him - but it had no effect on Erebus's icy core. As the rest of the group climbed up behind Shugo, Erebus tilted his head, amused by their heavy hearts.

"Oh? Your leader dies, and already you lose the will to fight?" His eyelids closed, forming bloody curtains over his voids. "This is unfortunate. A massacre holds little entertainment. Perhaps I should have killed a different one..."

"Shut up! I'll make you pay for what you did to Balmung!" shouted Shugo, whipping his hands back to his hilts. His fingers grasped at air - and he gritted his teeth, realizing that his daggers had vanished along with Erebus's doppelganger.

"Missing something?" said Erebus, mocking Shugo with his very own voice.

"... Why?"

Startled by the distraught murmur, the group looked over to Hotaru. Her head had dipped downwards, bangs covering her glistening eyes. As she lifted her gaze to Erebus, her mettle broke, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Why are you doing this? Why can't you just leave us alone?"

"Why?" answered Erebus, seeming confused by the question. "Perhaps you should ask Sister that. She is the one responsible for your situation."

"Aura has nothing to do with your sick games!" yelled Shugo.

"No?" he challenged. "What is the reason for your presence here - if not for that item upon your wrist?"

In his anger, Shugo was unable to find a reply. A victorious look swept onto Erebus's face.

"It is only her actions that have brought you to this point. Your presence here - even your very existence in this world - is simply a manifestation of her will. She toys with human sentiments, stringing them along like puppets upon a stage, twisting them in whichever direction is most desirable to her needs. You exist only to do her bidding - to throw yourselves in front of dangers to her subsistence, to heed her every beck and call, to ensure that any threat to her power is disposed of from a safe distance. You are nothing more than her pawns." Erebus raised his chin, staring down at the group's narrowed eyes with scorn. "And still, even with this knowledge, you choose to fight for her. Your ignorance is tru-"

"You're wrong!"

Perplexed, Erebus stared blankly at Shugo. "What?"

"Aura is our friend." He stared straight into Erebus's voids, raising a clenched fist of determination. "_That's_ why we fight for her!"

"Your... _friend?_" questioned Erebus, tilting his head at the concept.

"That's right!" exclaimed Rena, stepping forward to Shugo's side. She paused, and her gaze drifted down to the ochre slab beneath their feet. "It's true that we didn't ask for these characters... and that we've gone through a lot because of them..." Rena lifted her head, staring at Erebus in defiance. "But Aura gave us more than just that! Without her, we never would have had the chance to know each other! All the times that we shared together... All the memories... Those are worth more than anything we had to overcome!" She drew her sword from her back, aiming its edge at Erebus. "It's because we have each other - that's why we'll never lose to someone like you!"

"Rena..." murmured Shugo, looking over to her in surprise. Hotaru dried her eyes upon her sleeve, joining Ouka and Sanjuro as they stood at the twins' sides. Even the despondent Mireille stepped forward, raising her head with a new air of courage.

Seeming moved by the speech, Erebus dipped his head, hiding his voids beneath his bangs. His hand found its way to his face, covering the remnants of his visage with his palm. His frame trembled, shaken by sheer emotion.

Then he whipped his head back, cackling up into the sky.

"_Their friend!_ Oh, Sister! You've outdone yourself!" His ring finger curled inside his eye socket, stretching the decaying hole wide as he laughed at the orange wisps of Empyrean. "Like lemmings to the river, moths to the flame! Warped minds and vitiated souls! Only empty husks of sciolism are left!"

As he glared at Erebus, Shugo felt a firm hand come down upon his shoulder. Looking back, he found that it was Sanjuro - who had gathered the group into a stealthy huddle.

"Shugo," he whispered. "If we distract him long enough, will you be able to use Data Drain?"

"No, that won't work," replied Shugo, keeping his voice low. "I already tried it. It doesn't do anything to him."

Sanjuro's eye narrowed. "We'll need to do this the old-fashioned way, then." He looked to his left. "Ouka. Think you can get behind him?"

Ouka's grin was a razor. "Not a problem. Heights are my specialty."

"Good. We'll surround him on all sides." Sanjuro grasped the hilt of his katana tight. "Mireille, go left with Ouka. Rena and Shugo, you two to the right. Hotaru, stay close and support."

"Hm? Are the pawns discussing a plan?" called Erebus, smirking as he floated towards them.

"Go!" shouted Sanjuro, raising his sword and planting his feet. In an instant, Ouka slid back down onto the shingled slope, breaking into a dash along rusty metal as Mireille ran across the platform above. Rena and Shugo sprinted to the other side, skidding to a stop as they faced Erebus. A few seconds later, Ouka reappeared at the platform's far end, completing the vicious circle.

Erebus simply floated in place, looking around himself in amusement. "What a pity. Abandoned by their queen, and yet they struggle on." With his arms at his sides, he turned his palms outwards, raising them to waist height. A curved black stake burst forth from each hand, their tips reaching well above his head, giving him the appearance of a human guillotine. "Now then... Who will be the next to die?"

"No-one."

Shugo's eyes widened. He gazed upwards, following the angelic voice to the clouds.

Aura floated in the skies above them, looking down at Erebus with an expressionless stare.


	8. Infinity Eight

_A/N: And the finale..._**  
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**VIII. Infinity Eight**

A quiet wind swept over the cathedral's rooftop.

The tension in the air remained. It held the group in place, binding their limbs with cold silence. Only their eyes moved - shifting from Aura to Erebus, glancing back and forth between the pair.

But Aura's gaze never left her brother's back.

Slowly, Erebus's stakes retracted back into his palms. His hands dropped to his sides, hanging motionless. He dipped his head, staring at the jagged tendrils of cloth that dangled beneath his feet.

"I see... So it only took one life for you to show your face..." said Erebus, grinning - and then he whipped around, thrusting his left arm towards Aura as a bracelet appeared on his wrist. "_Dear Sister!_"

Shock overtook Sanjuro's face. "He has another one?"

"_Aura!_" screamed Shugo. The data array fired, drowning out his cry. Countless streams of data rocketed up towards Aura - but she vanished at the last moment, dodging the barrage with less than a second to spare. Erebus gnashed his teeth together, dispelling the bracelet and spinning to his left. A stake erupted from his hand, blocking a slash from Sanjuro with its diamond-like hardness. Surprised, Sanjuro dodged to the side, saving himself from being speared through the head by a second spike.

"LaRue Zot!"

A chunk of ice hurtled toward Erebus - but he slashed through it effortlessly, not bothering to look Mireille's way. Not even Ouka's battle cry could catch his attention. As he retracted his stakes, she sprinted up behind him, leaping into the air with a drawn-back fist - but a shockwave slammed into her at point-blank range, sending her flying onto her back.

"I wonder..." said Erebus, musing with a smile. He looked over to Rena. "Does that item of yours repel Phases as well?"

Rena's eyes widened as Erebus thrust a claw up towards the sky.

"Reach to the heavens!"

"_Rena!_" came Shugo's voice - and an orange blur tackled her to the ground, pushing her out of the path of the incoming attack.

At least, it seemed like an incoming attack.

He expected it to come from above. A lightning strike; a meteor - something too horrific to imagine. He thought that she was about to die. So, when they both sprang to their feet unharmed, he was confident that he had made the right decision.

Until he turned around.

Of the many tattered ends of Erebus's robe, four had extended into jagged quills, shooting out like black bolts of thunder - and stabbing Sanjuro, Mireille, Ouka, and Hotaru.

"So predictable..." said Erebus, smirking at the twins' horror. His barbs freed themselves from their victims' chests, zipping back into short tatters of cloth. As the four fell to the ground, he ascended a slight distance into the air. "Threaten one, and the others will always assume that they are safe."

The twins rushed over to the closest party member - Hotaru, who had dropped to her knees with her hands over the wound. As Rena guarded his back, Shugo crouched down and grabbed Hotaru's shoulders, staring at her slumped body in trepidation.

"H-hey..." he said, his lip quivering. A wave of panic overtook him. "Hotaru! Say something!"

Slowly, Hotaru lifted her head. Her wavering eyes found Shugo's, holding still just long enough to send him a look of terror. Then, her lips parted, mouthing out a silent reply.

_Run away._

Before Shugo could blink, Hotaru's hands had clamped down upon his neck, their delicate nails digging into his skin. Shocked, he grabbed her wrists, trying to pry her loose - only to spy Sanjuro charging at him with a raised katana. Shugo tore himself from Hotaru's grip and shoved her to the side, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge the incoming slice. Sanjuro slashed downward, aiming for the space between Shugo's petrified eyes - but his blow was blocked by Rena's sword.

"Sanjuro! What are you doing?" she shouted, struggling to hold off the force of his blade. Their swords ground against each other - but a sudden push by Sanjuro forced her back, and she stumbled backwards to avoid another swipe of the blade.

"Master! Stop!" yelled Shugo.

"RaVak Don!" came Mireille's cry. Alarmed, Shugo grabbed Rena's arm, yanking her to the side. A spinning fireball sped past them, its embers singeing Rena's cheek. They glanced back as its explosion decimated an outer steeple - and noticed Ouka sprinting along the shingles behind them. As she leapt into the air, the two scrambled away from their allies, barely dodging a punch strong enough to crack the granite platform.

"Your 'strength' seems to be your weakness!" called Erebus, laughing maniacally as the twins struggled to stay alive. "How long will that friendship last when they aim to rip out your hearts?"

Reaching the platform's edge, the twins spun around. Their friends stood in rank against them, marching forward in a line under Erebus's hovering figure. Shugo gritted his teeth.

Hopeless. He was without a weapon, and Rena had no chance against all this alone. Worse, survival meant killing off the ones closest to them - and even then, Erebus was sure to slaughter what remained. There was no positive outcome. The whole thing was hopeless.

_You mustn't give up._

The sound of Aura's voice made the twins blink. It came from within them, echoing inside their minds like a spoon striking glass.

_Listen closely. There isn't much time._

A faint yellow light appeared underneath the feet of the infected four. They came to a halt, their feet struggling futilely against the ethereal bindings.

Erebus scowled at his immobile marionettes. "What is this?"

_The hairpin holds the key to defeating him. Its power can amplify or nullify any outside forces that contact the user. The effect is entirely dependent upon one's will._

"But... I couldn't hurt him before," murmured Rena. She looked to the side, staring at Shugo as he lifted his gaze from the bracelet. Their eyes met - and a spark flashed between them.

"So you intend to render your apostates useless, hm?" asked Erebus. A cruel smile dashed his face as he pointed his left palm towards the four. "Well then, Sister. Perhaps I should dismember them now?"

The bindings disappeared in an instant.

_Please! You must hurry!_

Erebus's voids returned to the twins. They gave him a quick glance - and then darted away from each other, sprinting to opposite sides of the platform.

"Oh? Divide and be conquered?" remarked Erebus, smirking. His focus turned to Rena. "In that case, I'll-"

"Hey, data scrap!"

Erebus's voids contorted into knives. He whipped around, seething with rage at the sight of Shugo's cocky grin. Even the heads of his servants turned with him.

"Oh, so you are? I didn't think you'd fall for that," said Shugo, giving a smug shrug of the shoulders. "_But_, I guess viruses aren't very smart. I shouldn't expect too much from you, right?"

Snarling like a deranged animal, Erebus rocketed down towards Shugo. A stake burst from his palm, cutting a swath across the stone where Shugo stood - but Shugo jumped backwards at the last moment, saving himself from being split at the knees. As chips of stone shot into the air, he scrambled away from Erebus, retreating to the terrace's edge. Whipping around, he found a lucent purple ring aimed at him.

"Death by your allies won't be adequate! I'll eviscerate you myself!" roared Erebus, summoning the bracelet's prongs.

Shugo thrust a clenched fist towards Erebus. "Data..."

Erebus let out a hysterical laugh. "Your ignorance carries to the bitter end!"

"_Drain!_"

The golden beam of light flew towards Erebus - and passed over his shoulder. The edges of his lips coiled like a snake. His fingers cracked into a disfigured claw. His bracelet formed its array.

And then the golden glow of Rena's sword split him down the middle.

Erebus screamed in pain, releasing a massive shockwave that sent Rena flying through the air. As he writhed upon the ground, she hurtled over the platform's far edge, vanishing out of sight.

"_RENA!_" screamed Shugo, bolting over the granite. He passed his friends as they fell to the ground, blind to everything but the precipice ahead of him. His feet reached the edge - and his eyes widened in shock.

Rena's sword had been driven into the shingled slope below - and she hung onto it for dear life, dangling above the rapidly descending waters.

"Damned vermin! What did they do?" rasped Erebus, clutching his gashed face. The lucid purple crystals materializing along the wound were shattering upon formation. "Why won't it heal?"

"The regenerative abilities of those cells have been nullified. The damage is permanent."

Looking up from his place upon the ground, Erebus found Aura floating amid the open air. She hovered a short distance from the platform's edge, staring at him in melancholy.

"... Permanent, you say..." hissed Erebus, the sound emanating from the split in his neck. He lowered his hand - and then his palms crashed together. "You should have stayed in hiding, _dear Sister!_"

Alarmed, Aura thrust a hand out towards him. "No!"

"_ONLY A VOID REMAINS!_"

Erebus's mantle became a shroud of oblivion, growing in size and enveloping him like a cocoon. The black shell seemed to harden, growing more rigid and adamant with every passing second. Then it began to pulsate, the violence of each throb greater than the last - until finally, it shattered, breaking into a cloud of data shards that vanished in a mere moment.

And Erebus stood whole again, free from a single scratch.

"And now!" he shouted, sporting a psychotic grin as his left arm shot towards Aura. "I'll have the pleasure of de-"

An unfathomable pain tore across his body, making him scream in agony. Aura winced as he fell back to the floor - writhing to and fro, clawing at his skin, scraping the flesh off his cheeks with his nails. "Stop it! _Stop!_ _What is this?_"

"I'm sorry," said Aura, shaking her head. "The data has already been integrated. I do not have the ability to remove it from your system."

Erebus raised his head, clutching his face. "You... What did you do to me?"

"I have done nothing. It is you who has caused this eventuality to occur."

"What?" he growled.

"You must realize," said Aura, "that the powers upon which you draw - the programs known as 'Phases' - are external parts of your own being. Before our parents sealed you away, they were reconfigured into a subset of Mother's own data."

"What of it?"

"The Phase known as Gorre grants you the ability to intercept and store all record logs that pass within The World's servers. It is, essentially, a database of all player activity that has occurred since the very onset of the game." Aura paused, her eyelids drooping with sadness. "However, there is a gap in the data between its destruction and reformation."

"_What are you getting at?_"

"You do not understand..." said Aura, closing her eyes, "... that Corbenik is a part of me."

Shock overtook the pain flowing through Erebus's veins. "That's absurd!"

"It is the truth," replied Aura, staring at him with irises of electric blue. "You are undoubtedly aware of Mother's dissolution within the system, and that I have assimilated a great deal of her data." Aura paused, lowering her eyes. "However, your records do not contain the instance which caused these events. In her efforts to destroy me, Mother chose to integrate herself into Corbenik's programming. Ultimately, both she and Corbenik became the components of my rebirth."

"Impossible! You're..."

"Yes. By invoking Corbenik, you have introduced my data into your own coding. I am now a part of you."

Erebus's hand fell from his face. Slowly, he floated to his feet, keeping his voids upon the ground. His body sagged like a decrepit willow, hunched over with weighted limbs. And yet, despite his condition, a grin rose onto his face, snipping at the edges of his mouth with malice.

Aura gave him a look of warning. "You must know that your actions against me have become counter intuitive. Continuing down this path will only result in your own destruction."

"... My own destruction..." said Erebus, coughing out a laugh. He raised his voids to Aura, staring at her from under his brow. "But you see, Sister... There's only what we were meant to be..."

Dipping her head, Aura closed her eyes.

Slowly, Erebus drifted towards her. The tatters of his robe wandered with the gentle breeze. He reached out with a clawed palm, aiming for the light ahead of him. And then he was falling, down along the granite walls, down past a plateau of rock, down between the hourglasses of earthen pillars, down into the last remnants of the receding waters - and gone without a trace.

A tear left the corner of Aura's eye, sliding down her cheek.

"... I'm sorry, Brother."

"Aura! You guys!"

Aura used her wrist to wipe the droplet away. Raising her head, she looked towards the voice's source. At the platform's opposite end, a concerned Shugo and Rena ran towards their dazed comrades. Three of the four were picking themselves off the ground.

"Ugh... what happened? It feels like I took on a nest of Drygons," said Ouka, holding the side of her head as she sat up. Glancing to her right, she found an unconscious Mireille curled up around her staff. "... Mirei?"

"Oh no, Mireille!" cried Hotaru, crawling over to the girl on her hands and knees. "Are you alright?"

"... Nooo... Come back..." murmured Mireille, smiling as she cuddled closer to her weapon. "... Such a nice texture... I promise I'm only borrowing it... Just a couple of days..."

A droll look slipped onto Rena's face. "I think she'll be fine."

"But then..." said Sanjuro, looking around as he claimed his feet. His eye traveled to the twins, staring at them in wonder. "You two were able to defeat him?"

"Yep. Not a problem!" said Shugo, raising his chin with shut eyes and a proud smile. "It's all over."

"... No."

Shugo's eyes blinked open. Confused, he turned around, setting his gaze upon Aura. She had floated onto the platform, hovering a few yards away from the group.

"I'm afraid that this is only the beginning," she said, lowering her eyes.

"Huh?" replied Shugo, tilting his head at Aura. "What do you mean? We beat him. He's gone."

"Shugo!" shouted Sanjuro.

Annoyed, Shugo looked over his shoulder. Sanjuro was glaring up at the sky - and, strangely enough, their surroundings were gradually becoming darker.

The fading light of the setting sun was not the cause. The shade did not sweep in gently. It did not nip at the soft twilight with its tones of blue and grey. No, it rushed in with a fury, like a hardened warrior upon horseback, with frenzied neighs and crashing hooves that echoed through a misty battlefield.

Shugo's eyes drifted upwards, widening by the second.

The skies above them had become an overcast of clouds - not of the normal variety, but rather of static. They hissled and cracked high above the adventurers, shifting with disorder and chaos, a murderous fray between white and grey.

And then a red flare appeared in its midst, shining directly above them - and vanishing with the sound of a splash.

Mireille's eyes opened just in time to see a ripple pass through the surreal skies above. The disturbance purled over the static ceiling, leaving a crackling line of electricity that cleaved the heavens. And from within that line came two colossal walls of purple water, washing over the static ceiling, turning the skies above them into a churning sea.

"Wha - What's going on?" cried Mireille, her dreams becoming a nightmare. She looked around in a panic, scanning over the other members of the group. Each and every one paid her no heed. Their eyes were glued to the sky.

A massive sphere broke through the water's surface, its mauve corrugations descending through the waves. The slit dividing it trembled violently - and then, it was staring back at them, looking down with an iris of yellow-green.

And Erebus's voice boomed from all around them, making the very air quiver with fear.

"There is nothing more than the path we were chosen to follow..."

Aura raised her eyes, meeting his ruinous gaze with sadness.

"And so, Sister... I'll drag you along with me - _down to the bottom of the abyss!_"

_A/N: ... is coming soon. :)_


	9. The Space Between Two Worlds

**IX. The Space Between Two Worlds**

"What is that thing?"

Rena's cry was answered with a rumble. The stone beneath their feet, the air around them, the entire field - everything trembled under the power of an unseen force. It was as if they were being lifted - not from the ground, but into the air, in some strange paradox that seemed to defy explanation.

"The Ending World," said Aura, still gazing up at the giant eye. "It is a field designed to act as the last line of defense against a catastrophic infection within the system. In the event that the core of such a virus can be isolated, it is to be utilized as a mobile weapon against the designated area."

"A weapon?" said Sanjuro, his head whipping towards her in alarm.

"Yes. Its function is self-destructive. Essentially, he is attempting to crash both fields into one another, thereby deleting them both."

"_Waaah?_ We've got to get out of here!" cried Mireille, racing to the logout option. Her face went white with horror at the findings.

"I'm afraid that is impossible," said Aura, shaking her head. "The absolute lock instituted upon this field is still in place. Even I am unable to exit its boundaries."

"Then how do we stop it?" asked Shugo in a rush.

Aura lowered her eyes. "... I do not know."

"There _is_ no stopping it!" boomed Erebus, reclaiming their gaze. "All of you will be reduced to the memories of which you are so fond!"

Another violent tremor shook through the terrain. Rattled, the group noticed a faint sense of weightlessness - and that the skies seemed to be falling at a much quicker pace. Aura furrowed her brow, her look turning urgent.

"I will do everything in my power to maintain the integrity of this area. However, due to the integration of Brother's data, I am unable to alter any aspect of the weapon itself." Aura's eyes fixated upon Shugo and Rena. "You must find a way to disable it before the fields make contact!"

And with that, she vanished, leaving the group in a startled panic. A faint yellow glow enveloped their surroundings, slowing the ascent of the world beneath them - but it did little to allay their fears.

"If we can't leave, then..." murmured Hotaru, staring upwards, entranced with fright. "This is bad... What do we do..."

"Calm down," said Ouka. Her eyes returned to the sphere, narrowing into a glare. "We need to come up with a plan. There has to be some way to stop it."

Shugo looked down to his bracelet, furrowing his brow. Casting his doubts aside, he raised his arm towards the eye. "Data..."

"Shugo! Wait!" shouted Sanjuro.

With a blink, Shugo looked his way. Sanjuro's eye was set into a grave stare.

"Kite's bracelet had limitations, and yours is sure to as well. In the original, even a few corrupted monsters could generate side effects."

"So what? We don't have time for a history lesson!"

"Listen, fool!" snapped Sanjuro. "Your target is a field. The difference in the amount of data is massive. Even on the off chance that you succeed, there's no telling what will happen to you!"

"Then _what?_" shouted Shugo, motioning up towards the chaos. "We can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"... The corrupt data!"

The group's attention flew to Rena. Captivated by her own revelation, her awestruck eyes stared out into space. Suddenly, she spun towards Shugo, touching the accessory above her ear.

"Aura said that this hairpin can nullify any outside forces, right? What if it works on the data that the bracelet gathers, too?"

Surprise swept over Shugo's features. "Then there wouldn't be any side effects..."

"That has to be the way to beat him!" exclaimed Rena. "The person who made all of this had to know what would happen! It doesn't make sense that we'd have no chance in the end!"

The eye above them narrowed with amusement, its lid almost seeming to smile.

"Despair brings out the most _interesting_ aspects of humanity," came Erebus's voice, chuckles topping his malice. "To think you still possess delusions of living past today!"

_... I do not know if it is possible, but..._

The group was startled by the strain in Aura's voice. It was clear that every ounce of her effort was set into the crisis.

_If Rena acts as an intermediary for the Data Drain... you may be able to stop him in time._ The ground quivered, cracking under the gravitational pull. _But you must hurry! The field could collapse under this amount of power!_

Shugo rushed to Rena's side - but, as he held up the bracelet, a look of confusion shot onto his face. "But how do I...?"

She met his eyes. "The same way we did before."

Shugo blinked as Rena drew her sword. She turned her back to him, holding the blade upwards, aiming its tip towards the eye. Carmine met yellow-green, and her hands tightened around the hilt. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, hoping to calm the fear clutching at her heart.

But that plan vanished at Shugo's embrace. The body pressing into her back; the breath that skimmed against her neck; the arms alongside her own - all of it was too much to bear. A faint blush bloomed across her cheeks, tinting them with pink. Her eyes wandered with her mind, turning towards the head at her shoulder, towards Shugo.

He was smiling.

The same smile she had always known. The same warmth. The same Shugo.

And just like that, her fears were gone.

Shugo's hands dropped below her own, hovering next to the sword's handle. His eyes traveled from hers and landed on the bracelet.

The effect was the intention. He understood that much.

_I want to protect her._

And he grasped the hilt.

The bracelet and the hairpin flashed to life in unison - along with Rena's sword. A blinding light enveloped the blade, shining with an intensity that rivaled the sun. The twins squinted against the radiance - but soon, their eyes were wide with awe.

A cluster of golden shards materialized around the blade's base, forming a ring far larger than any they had seen before. And then there was another, slightly smaller than the first, hovering at the middle. When a third appeared at the tip, the prongs of all three shot outwards into the air. As their points snapped upwards, each bracelet rotated in an alternate direction, forming a multi-tiered array that dwarfed the twins in size.

Shocked, Sanjuro took an instinctive step backwards. His eye darted across the platform, skimming over the amazed stares of the others. "Everyone, get back!"

"Data..." the twins shouted in unison, "_DRAIN!_"

A pillar of light erupted from the array, rocking their surroundings with its immense power. It sprung forth into the sky, twisting and turning, striking like an otherworldly serpent released from a celestial cage. It slammed into the eye with a roar, latching onto its iris with hallowed jaws of pure energy.

Cackles echoed through the air.

"One last desperate attempt to escape your fate!" shouted Erebus, spreading the eyelid wide with glee. "And still all for naught! Nothing can stop the inevitable!"

Filaments of red wriggled towards the eye's iris - but it continued to descend, filling the skies with a murderous eclipse. The twins' feet began to float from the ground. Suddenly, up was down, and down was forward, and forward was back, and the entire world was spinning on some chaotic axis that shredded law and reason.

"It's not enough!" shouted Rena, wincing under the strain of the bracelets' power.

"Don't give up! We can do this!" yelled Shugo, tightening his grip upon the sword. He glared up through the blinding light in defiance. It didn't matter what the odds were, or how terrible the outcome looked. If it was hopeless, then they'd make their own hope! None of them were going to die here!

"RaVak _Don!_"

A spinning fireball flew up towards the eye, exploding against its sclera. Startled, Shugo glanced to the left, spotting Mireille with her staff held high.

"Thief!" she shouted, glaring upwards. "I don't care how big you are! I won't let you take any more of my friends!"

"Unyo no Tachi!" came Sanjuro's shout, drawing Shugo's eyes to the right. A peal of thunder ripped through the turmoil as a bolt of blue lightning crashed against the eye. As his katana crackled with electricity, Sanjuro whipped around, slashing towards a nearby steeple, cleaving it from the cathedral's roof with another bolt.

"Hotaru!" yelled Ouka, giving her a passing glance as she bounded towards the now-floating obelisk.

"Ap Corv!" she shouted, pointing her staff's orb towards Ouka. Whirlwinds of red sparks appeared around Ouka's fists.

"This isn't about to be my last fight!" shouted Ouka, grabbing onto the giant stone spear, her fingers cracking its surface with sheer force. With the strength of twelve axemen, she whirled it onto her shoulder. Wielding it like a javelin, she broke into a dash across the platform. "Take _THIS!_" she roared, hurling it up towards the eye. The stone rocket tore through the air, joining another round of the elements as they smashed into white death.

Erebus narrowed the eye with rage. "_Obstinate insects!_ Don't you realize that resistance is pointless? Why won't you simply roll over and die?"

"Because none of us can afford to give up!" shouted Shugo, gripping the hilt with all his might. "We have people that depend on us, and care about us! We can't let them down!"

"The ones that we love... The ones that mean everything to us!" yelled Rena, pressing her hands down against Shugo's. "_We won't let you make them disappear!_"

A surge of power exploded from the array, sending shockwaves out across the entire field. The burst of energy soared up the winding beam, slamming into the eye with cataclysmic force. The eyelids spread wide open, and the whites turned bloodshot with webs of red - but still, it kept coming.

_The fields are about to make contact!_ came Aura's panicked voice.

"Reliance and caring... Love and purpose... _None of them mean anything on the edge of death!_" roared Erebus. "_ALL OF YOU WILL BE REDUCED TO_-"

Cracks sprang up along the bloodshot lines coating the eye's surface. Its pupil shrank to a pinpoint - and then it shattered, imploding like an orb of glass, collapsing into millions of data shards with a deafening boom. The beam of light shot through the cloud of glittering fragments, swirling them into a vortex that slammed into the churning waters above. And then the seas were a whirlpool, spinning into the point of impact, vanishing into the shining pillar - until a halo burst from the beacon, sweeping away the oceans, clearing the skies, crossing the stars, reaching to the ends of the earth as it covered the darkness above them with an aurora of every hue.

As the beam faded from existence, the group stared up in wonder. The shimmering bands of light reflected in their eyes, filling them with a spectrum of vivid colors. The stars glittered with astral brilliance, shining down from the celestial ceiling - but many were not stars, nor were they above them for long. They were glowing data fragments, and they drifted down to earth like snowflakes, showering it with sparkles of blue and white, adding the finishing touch to the surreal wonderland.

Slowly, the twins lowered Rena's sword. Its tip came to rest upon the ground, tapping gently against the stone. Rena looked over to the head at her shoulder. Carmine met teal.

"We did it... Huh, Big Brother?" she murmured.

Shugo beamed. "Yeah. We did it."

A faint smile crossed her lips.

"... I'm glad."

Rena's hairpin shattered, dissipating into golden dust - and she slumped against him, falling into his arms like a ragdoll. Shugo's eyes went wide, and his hands flew to her shoulders.

"Re-"

And then his bracelet shattered. Its shards drifted in front of his shocked irises, seeming to hang in an eternal moment of space and time.

And he was falling with her - down into a sea of black.

* * *

><p>"A coma?"<p>

Mireille's mouth hung open in dismay. Her cry had startled the young man sitting along the far wall of her hideout. A dome of neatly-combed blonde hair covered his scalp. A line of sharp bangs hung just above esoteric eyes of green; the cyan talon that marked his left cheek seemed dull in comparison. Decorous burgundy robes cloaked his unimposing frame, their gold trimmings lending him the appearance of nobility.

System Administrator Reki. He had arranged this meeting to relay the news, but it was far from what she wanted to hear.

"Now hold on," said Reki, holding up a palm. "The medical staff said that it lasted for around an hour. By the time I managed to get there, he was conscious, and they had already moved him from the ICU. He's under general observation now."

"And his condition?" asked Sanjuro, staring Reki's way with a solemn brow.

"From what I gathered, it was serious for a time, but he's expected to make a full recovery. He should be fine. He was even joking about _not _missing work when I visited him the other day." Reki looked to Mireille, smiling with confidence. "I wouldn't worry too much. Lord Balmung's not the type of person that would let this change his life."

Mireille dipped her head, closing her eyes with a sigh of relief. At the side wall, Ouka shifted in her seat upon a treasure chest. Her folded arms were joined by entwined legs; she crossed them at the knees.

"What about the one they mentioned?" she said, opening a single eye to peer at Reki. "Any luck on him?"

Reki nodded. He turned his attention to the small book lying in his lap, opening the cover and flipping through the pages with a staid care. "I did some digging into the registration records from the past five years. It wasn't very difficult to track his current whereabouts from there." Reki stopped on the desired page, and his eyes began to scan its lines. "Shigeru Fukuda, also known as Lantus in The World. He's an influential businessman from Osaka's Naniwa ward - and quite famous to boot. According to an article from the local news agency, he was admitted to Aizenbashi Hospital a few days ago for an undisclosed condition. As for his current status..."

"You were unable to find any information," said Sanjuro.

"Exactly. Thanks to his prestige, everyone around him has stayed tight-lipped on the matter, and the press has been left out of the loop. Aside from hacking into the hospital records, there's no way to establish whether or not he experienced a simultaneous recovery." Reki raised his eyes, staring at Sanjuro with an icy candor. "Though, it's unlikely that he's dead, or that his condition is permanent. There haven't been any reports regarding a replacement for his position. Corporate damage control begins very early in these sorts of matters."

Sanjuro let out a grunt of disgust. As he looked back to Reki, his eye narrowed. "On that subject, what is CC Corp's stance on this event?"

"Isolated incidents that were caused by pre-existing conditions in no way affiliated with company-brand technology. That's how the higher-ups are planning to spin it, anyway." Reki shut the book with a clap - and quickly became aware of the hostile stares aimed his way. His face turned solemn. "Don't get the wrong idea. Balmung and I are close, too. I'm not about to let them sweep this under the rug - but now's not a good time to make a move."

"Why's that?" asked Ouka.

Reki's eyes trailed over the three. "Have any of you visited that area since the incident?"

"... I didn't think we could," said Mireille, gazing at him questioningly. "Wasn't it closed off for maintenance?"

"Until last night's reboot, yes. The field had to undergo extensive recoding to repair the damage." Reki paused, and a look of uneasiness crossed his face. "However... The maintenance team couldn't restore the external data that was present in that area."

Sanjuro furrowed his brow. "What do you mean by 'external data'?"

Reki crossed his arms and looked downwards. His eyes narrowed.

"The statue inside the cathedral is missing... and _she's_ nowhere to be found, either."

A heavy silence fell over the group. Sanjuro's eye drifted down to the floor, stopping upon the thick orange threads that fringed the hand-crafted rug beneath them.

"Are you sure that's the case?"

"Not entirely, no. I'm only going by the data collected through Research and Development," replied Reki, tapping the book's cover with two fingers. "Still, there's no records indicating any trace of her activities since that time."

"Isn't it possible that they simply lost track of her?" asked Ouka, sounding skeptical of CC Corp's competence.

"That's unlikely. The subdivision that monitors Aura's actions has been around for four years, and she's their only priority," answered Reki. "I've also heard that their director has been pushing for evidence since the initial report. It'd be logical to assume that they would have found something by now."

"And then there were the network crashes..." murmured Sanjuro, placing his hand upon his chin.

Reki gave a solemn nod. "The executives are in a panic thanks to all of this. There are even rumors that a new division is in the works to handle the fallout."

A shrewd smile crossed Sanjuro's face. "Your promotion seems to give you access to some interesting information."

"It helps to have connections," said Reki, smirking as he rose from his seat, book in hand. He tucked it under his arm, brushing off his right shoulder with his free hand before looking back to Sanjuro. "Unfortunately, that's all I have for you right now. I'll keep you updated on any developments." Reki paused, freezing in place for a moment - and then he let out a weary sigh. "Not even five minutes to rest? This New Years' Festival is killing me."

"Oo, oo!" chirped Mireille, holding her palm towards the ceiling. "Will you be giving out rare items for that event?"

Reki blinked in surprise - then sighed again. He held up a hand in careless agreement, hanging his head and dragging his feet as he walked towards the door. "Whatever makes people come. A whole week of coding... I wonder if I can sleep-host..."

Tilting her head, Mireille watched as Reki, still mumbling to himself, opened the hideout's door and trudged up the stone steps. As he disappeared from view, she turned back to Ouka.

"I feel sorry for that guy. He must really hate his job."

The edge of Ouka's lips slipped upwards, holding back a laugh. Her eyes moved to Sanjuro. "So what do we do now?"

"We'll focus on investigating her whereabouts," said Sanjuro, standing from his seat. He paused, wrinkling his brow, looking off in thought. "I have a feeling that the next few months will be complicated."

A light bulb went off inside Mireille's mind. "Oh! Hey, hey!"

Sanjuro and Ouka turned their heads, looking confused by the sudden hail.

"Shouldn't we tell Shugo and Rena about all this?" she asked, holding up a finger and thumb to denote her point. Her eyes drifted to the side in thought. "I know Hotaru was busy today... but they're on, aren't they? I'm sure they want to know too!"

Ouka smiled.

"Later. Right now, I think they need some time to themselves."

* * *

><p>"So where are we going?"<p>

Keeping her pace up the grassy knoll, Rena glanced back at Shugo's curious expression in annoyance. How many times was he going to ask that question? Ever since they had left Dun Loireag (and several times before, actually), he had kept up an incessant habit of prodding her about their destination. This had to be the dozenth time she'd heard those words.

"I told you. It's a secret area," said Rena, looking back to the hills ahead of her. "It'll ruin the surprise if I let you know ahead of time."

Shugo glanced to the side, hiding a slight roll of his eyes. What was the big deal, anyway? It wasn't like giving a small hint would make that much of a difference - and, more importantly, it would ease his mind a little. Secret areas, strange flash mails, cryptic messages, odd puzzles - when it came to The World, he wouldn't have minded avoiding them completely. They seemed to have a tendency to end in disaster.

Still, it was good to just spend some time online having fun, for once. It had been three days since the battle, and neither of them had been able to log on for more than a few minutes. Rena had been with their mother's family for Christmas, and his own winter break had begun with part-time work at the local sports goods store. When there _was_ time to spend on The World, its servers may as well have been offline; connection problems had plagued the game during their visits, kicking them back to the login screen before they could say little more than 'Hi'.

Things were a bit more stable now, thankfully. As he followed Rena over another hill, Shugo looked to the side, gazing at the mountainous landscape. It was painted with shades of blue, swept into monochromatic beauty by the twilight. A sloping valley sat quietly under the evening sky, stretching out for what seemed like miles. Rocky, rounded peaks dotted the remote horizon, their tones lightening with distance, the furthest blurred by a glaucous haze. Their slopes were covered with the squiggles of treetops, and those were dashed by the dark, leafy outlines of a nearby grove. The ground around them was peppered with various shrubs, and the occasional tree popped up along their makeshift trail.

Of course, with Shugo's eyes fixated on the view, it was only a matter of time before his surroundings greeted him. After a few near-misses, he walked straight into a solid object. Startled, he looked ahead, expecting a tree - but finding a jostled Rena. She looked over her shoulder at him, wide-eyed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean..." said Shugo, trailing off. The shade masked it well, but his eyes still managed to catch a tinge of pink upon her cheeks. A look of confusion washed over his face. "What's wrong?"

Rena turned away from him quickly. "N-nothing."

"... Uh, why did you stop?"

"I needed to get something... Tissue," lied Rena - and immediately, she panicked, glancing back at him, clarifying in a hurry. "For my nose." Her cheeks reddened. "A cold."

Confounded, Shugo could only blink. "Oh."

"So let's go!" exclaimed Rena, breaking off into a brisk walk forward - and biting her tongue at her own stupidity.

A bad idea. This was a _really_ bad idea. What in the world had she been thinking? There had been plenty of opportunities during the day - plenty of chances to realize that the thought was moronic. Happening upon the topic on the BBS, visiting the field, finding the place itself - she could have stopped herself at any point. Yet, here she was, leading him straight to it. All sorts of things could happen there. She wasn't ready for any of them. And now Shugo probably thought that she was some kind of weird pervert that grabbed tissues to fight off nosebleeds while she fantasized about all those sorts of things.

And worst of all, the very last part was _true._

_Stop before you stop again. He'll figure it out if he runs into you _twice.

Rena lifted her chin, stomping forward through a grove of beech trees. After a few steps, her pace slowed dramatically. Rushing there would only make things worse. She needed time to think. There had to be a way out of this mess. Maybe if she pretended to be lost, they - no, that wouldn't work, he'd want to keep looking for it. But she couldn't just stop. He would ask her why, and _then_ what would she say? She needed some kind of excuse...

A joke! She could pass it off as a joke. They weren't _really_ going to go there. She just wanted to see his reaction. Afterwards, they'd just head back to town and pick some other field - some normal, ordinary, run-of-the-mill map where they could fight monsters and forget about everything that had happened.

That would work. That was perfect.

As Rena made her way out of the forest, a familiar-looking ridge came into view. Her heart pounded wildly.

_Stick to the plan. It'll be fine._

"We're here!" she called over her shoulder. As Shugo emerged from the woods, she scuttled over to the ridge's edge, turning to him with a nervous smile.

Shugo stopped, giving her a strange look. "We are?"

Rena nodded. She turned back towards the ridge, staring out over the edge. Raising a curious eyebrow, Shugo walked over to her side. He peered out into the glen below - a small cove between wooded cliffs, secluded by the hills around it.

His eyes widened.

Nestled at the cove's end was an array of lights. There were dozens of them - dots of orange and yellow, glowing softly amid the misty darkness. Paper lanterns. They dangled from wires, suspended around a wooden building of moderate size - and the pools of water at its back end. And the mist that hovered around them was, in fact, not mist - but steam.

"... Hot springs?" said Shugo, nearly choking on the words.

"So what do you think?" asked Rena, staring out towards the springs, too nervous to look his way. She waited for a reaction - but none came. Confused, she glanced over at him. "Shugo?"

Shugo said nothing. His eyes made no attempt to meet hers. He simply stared at their destination, utterly petrified by the sight.

Rena blinked at him in surprise - but then, she understood.

And, slowly, a mischievous smile slipped onto her face.

A moment later, Shugo's hat was snatched from his head. Startled, he broke out of his daze, turning his head towards the culprit. Strolling towards the trail leading down into the glen, Rena adjusted her new accessory, fixing the oversized beret to sit snug upon her crown. As her arms fell to her sides, she glanced over her shoulder. Carmine met teal.

The edge of Rena's lips curled upwards.

"Let's go, _Big Brother._"

* * *

><p>Well, that settled it. Every single secret area in this game really <em>did<em> lead to disaster.

Shugo lowered his chin, resting it upon his folded forearms. His eyes trailed over the distant mountainside, moving along the treetops. His bare elbows slid against the smooth stones bordering the spring. He let his shoulders dip, lowering them towards the surface of the thermal waters. A sigh escaped from his lips.

It felt great. He couldn't deny that. Under any other conditions, he would have been glad to take a dip here, relaxing in the soothing heat. But his sigh was one of anxiety, for the waters did nothing to alleviate the worries within his mind.

He had no clue what was going through her head. It seemed stupidly obvious that this was a horrible idea. Even the basic notion of bathing together was ridiculous - and that was without considering the millions of other things that could go wrong. He had tried to tell her that. He had tried to convince her that anything could happen. The bath was out in the open, the field was public, and the dividers that _should_ have separated the pools were nonexistent. Even though the place was unoccupied when they arrived, all it would take was one person wandering into the area, and they would be spotted - and worse, it could even be someone that they _knew_.

And what was her response?

_Don't worry. This place has a Chaos Gate to private springs. They're like separate areas - and, once your party picks one, you're the only ones that can get inside. Isn't that great?_

Of course. She had an answer for everything.

Shugo let out another sigh. His eyes drifted downwards, stopping upon his right wrist. He stared at his bare skin, giving the spot a slow blink.

It felt strange not having the bracelet. He had become accustomed to the golden lug nut around his wrist. Seeing it shatter had been a complete shock - and the blackout that followed was more than frightening. The last thing he had expected was to wake up with his head upon his desk, staring into a blank game visor, back within his room in the real world. Naturally, he had grabbed the phone and called Rena immediately. His safety meant nothing if something happened to her. Listening to the vapid rings of that line was the most agonizing moment of his life - but when he finally heard her voice, the breath swept back into him. She was all right. Everything was all right.

That conversation bounced between the network crash and the fate of their friends, but there was one topic he didn't mention. It didn't seem important at the time - but today, Sanjuro had spoken with him about Aura's disappearance, and suddenly, it had a much greater meaning. From that vague amount of time where he lied unconscious, he could only remember one thing: an image, something between a dream and a vision, of Aura. Their surroundings were dark, and her avatar seemed hazy - but, above all else, there was something that stood out to him.

She was smiling. A happy smile, free from tragedy and suffering. Wherever she had gone, he knew that she would be fine.

"I'm coming in!" came Rena's voice, emanating from the changing rooms.

Too bad the same couldn't be said for him.

Standing behind the sliding door, Rena shifted timorously. Her fingers clung to the white towel covering her body, clutching its top edge to her chest. She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. Her free hand found the door's notch - and with a gentle tug, she slid it open.

The scene that greeted her was breathtaking. A full moon shone down upon the mountainside spring, casting an azure hue onto its shimmering waters. Ornamental plants surrounded the pool, forming a crescent of ferns and flowering shrubs that divided the area from neighboring trees. The pool's borders were lined with rounded stones - and at the far edge, Shugo sat amid the water, back towards her and arms atop one, seeming to hide his head with raised shoulders.

Rena pressed her lips together, unable to fight off a simper. Her bare feet left the wooden floors of the onsen, taking careful steps onto the walking stones leading to the spring. When they reached the water's edge, she glanced up at Shugo, ensuring that his eyes were still aimed towards the view. They were.

It took all of her courage to let the towel drop to the ground.

The sound of sloshing water reached Shugo's ears. He resisted the urge to glance backwards (why did he _have_ that urge?); instead, he kept his eyes on the rounded peaks in the distance. As a series of ripples purled against his back, he heard a refreshed sigh escape from Rena's lips.

"This is amazing. I can't believe it feels so real," murmured Rena, running a palm along her arm. She sank into the soothing warmth, letting her legs drift amidst the waters. Her head turned towards Shugo. "See? Even the view is nice. I told you this was a great idea."

Shugo's shoulders slumped.

Rena blinked. "What's wrong?"

Shugo turned his head slightly. His eyes drifted to the side, landing upon one of the border stones. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Huh?" said Rena, staring at him in confusion. A moment passed, but he said nothing. Her eyes left his back, drifting up to the stars. "To relax. I thought we could use some time away from everything." She looked back towards Shugo, tilting her head slightly. "... Don't you like this place?"

_Why does she sound so calm about this?_

Slowly, bit by bit, Shugo turned his head, peering over his shoulder. His eyes trailed over the blue waters - but then, next to a rock in the pool's center, the bronze skin of Rena's shoulders came into view. His head whipped forward in an instant. The warmth of the spring rose to his cheeks. He lowered his eyes, staring into his forearms.

"It's... making me really uncomfortable."

Rena's shoulders dipped, and a look of disappointment fell onto her face. Her chin drifted downwards. She stared at the water's surface, watching the shimmers of the moonlight quiver in the liquid.

But then, her eyes rose to Shugo, and a mischievous smile crossed her lips.

The quiet plashes of disturbed water wafted on a gentle breeze. Shugo felt another round of ripples caress his back. He ignored them, forcing himself to keep his eyes on the distant treetops.

Until he felt the touch of hands upon his shoulders.

Shugo's body jerked straight upwards, nearly jumping out of the spring. His head whipped around, eyes wide open with shock. He found a playful look in the carmine irises behind him.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Helping you loosen up," said Rena, holding back a giggle as his eyes darted away in embarrassment. As she began to rub the backs of his shoulders, she shifted in the water, and her knee bumped against his submerged calf. Shugo stiffened into a statue. "Just relax. Your shoulders are all tense."

A streak of red formed across Shugo's nose. His eyes burned a hole into the stone beneath his forearms.

"... Rena... When did you get like this...?"

Rena recoiled in offense. "Get like _what?_"

"... Nothing," muttered Shugo. He lowered his chin to his wrist. "Just forget it."

The hands upon his shoulders came to an abrupt stop. Slowly, they curled with tension, their fingertips pressing against his muscles.

"... Does it bother you that much?"

Shugo blinked in surprise. She sounded upset. Slowly, he turned his head, peering back at her face. She had sunken into the waters, dipping her head, hiding her eyes with lilac bangs.

"Rena..." murmured Shugo, staring at her in concern. Her hands slid from his back, dropping into the water with weak splashes. His embarrassment vanished from his mind, and he turned towards her, swiveling on his knees. "I didn't mean..." he started, trailing off into a pause. He thought his words over carefully. "... I know it's just a game, and we can do whatever we want here... but we're always going to be brother and sis-"

"_Don't say that!_"

Shugo lurched backwards, astonished by the sudden cry. Rena flung her head upwards and stared straight into teal, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight.

"Don't say that when you know I want more!"

Shugo's mouth dropped open in shock. He knew. Of course he knew - but hearing her say it, out loud, with that kind of emotion - _that_ left him speechless.

Rena stood up, clutching a hand against her heart, careless of what he might see. "I'm not doing this because it's a game! I'm real, Shugo! The things I feel are _real!_" Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and she spun away from him, letting her arm plunge down into the water. She clutched her fists under the surface, trembling. "And then you say that... Like I'm wrong... Like there's something wrong with me...!"

"Rena!" whispered Shugo, wide-eyed. He reached out to her, towards her shoulder, trying to pull her close to comfort her - but she twisted away from his grasp, wading towards a nearby stone. Throwing his reservations aside, Shugo scrambled to his feet, sloshing through the water, chasing after her - but suddenly, she stopped, and he stopped, and time seemed to stop along with them.

Shugo stared at her back, unsure of what to say. Slowly, she turned her head, looking back over her shoulder. A faint question escaped from her lips.

"... Am I?"

Confusion mixed with worry. Shugo could only stare at her with trembling irises. He had no idea what she meant, or what she was thinking, or what he should do. For the first time in his life, he felt completely helpless.

Rena's eyelids gave him a wistful blink.

"... Isn't there... anything there?" she murmured. Her eyes focused in on his. "... Don't you feel it too?"

Shugo looked to the side, staring down into the water. His cheeks reddened. "... You're my _sister._"

Rena's eyes widened.

Guilt. There was guilt in his voice. It _was_ there. Deep down, somewhere inside his heart, he felt the same way. It didn't matter how unheroic his words sounded. She didn't care about that. The only thing that she needed right now was the feelings behind those words. She wanted to sweep up every little drop of guilt that dripped from them - to wipe them away herself, to show him that he didn't need to feel guilty, or ashamed, or afraid anymore.

Shugo felt the touch of fingertips against the wave symbol upon his cheek. Startled, his eyes flew back to Rena's. Carmine filled his view. She was right next to him, standing at less than arm's length - close enough to add some scarlet to the red marking. Her fingers traced along its edges, caressing his skin.

_... Rena._ He tried to say her name, but his voice was gone. Only his lips moved.

Rena closed her eyes.

Shugo's eyes drifted down to her lips. Pink. He could see every little line, every little detail glimmering in the moonlight. They were so close to his own.

Six inches. That's all there was.

Shugo's eyelids drifted shut. He leaned forward.

And he closed the gap.

They lost themselves, there in the water. Hands met, noses brushed, lips slid and nipped at one another. Suddenly, Rena's back was against stone, and her front was against Shugo, and the spring was like paradise. One hand was in his, but the other found his back, clutching his shoulder blade, pulling him closer. She breathed into his lips as they departed, enveloping them with a sated wisp of warmth. Her eyes fluttered open.

Shugo was staring at her in horror.

That amorous expression, those flushed cheeks, the arousal in her eyes - all of them were like stabs to the heart. This couldn't be right. He was supposed to protect her, not _this._ What was he doing to her? To his own _sister!_

"I'm sorry!" cried Shugo, tearing himself away from Rena's grasp. He scrambled through the waters, stumbling in panic, deaf to her cries. His feet reached the spring's edge, and he clambered up the stone steps, reaching dry ground, racing towards the changing rooms.

A hand latched onto his wrist, holding him back.

Without thinking, he spun around - and froze in shock.

Rena's toes curled around a stepping stone of the trail. Her free arm hung limp by her side. A droplet fell from the tip of curved fingers. Beads of water trailed down her collarbone. Her skin glistened with luminescence.

Shugo was blind to all of it. His eyes never left carmine.

A pensive smile formed on Rena's lips. They parted.

_It's okay._

He tried to respond. Nothing came.

She stepped forward. Her hand left his wrist. Another step. Her arms encircled his body - and she leaned against him, nestling her head against his chest.

Shugo looked down into her hair.

Awe. That's what it was. That feeling that slipped into his heart every time she smiled, every time she laughed, every time her eyes met his - it was awe. No matter how many days, months, or years went by, he knew that he would always feel it. It would never fade away.

He never wanted it to.

Shugo's hands found her back. He held her close - snug within his arms.

A minute passed before Rena looked up at him.

"... Shugo?"

Shugo met her eyes. "Yeah?"

"Can we get back in?" A faint quiver passed through her body. She tightened the embrace. "I'm cold."

Shugo smiled. "Sure."

Ripples flowed over the spring's surface. They came from splashes of feet, and teasing pokes, and playful squeezes. They purled through bursts of giddy laughter, and through embarrassed squeaks. They listened to faint, loving whispers - the kind meant for only one ear.

But, eventually, they vanished.

The last drop had fallen. Nothing could stir the surface. Nothing could stir them from their embrace.

The water was tranquil.

And so were their hearts.

:::::

_A/N:_

_You're still reading? I must be doing something right._

_Pessimism aside... :D_

_The final chapter. I'm sure some people will find it controversial, but I didn't want to end this story any other way. And I'm glad, really. If it doesn't get **someone** riled up, then I failed in what I was trying to convey._

_So, that being said..._

_What did you think? In character? Overdone? Poignant? Too cheesy? Let me know your thoughts on this (and any other) chapter by using that shiny little review button at the bottom of the page. And be honest! I like hearing any kind of feedback, positive or negative, so don't be shy about pointing out the flaws in my writing. I know they're there, believe me. :P_

_In closing: I'd like to thank all my readers (especially those who reviewed) for their support in this project, since it would be pointless without all of you. I hope you enjoyed the story (and that it was better than the anime). Because, really, that's what's important._

_(Lol.)_

_Other works can be found in my profile. Thanks, and take care!  
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